Chloe Perth At Hogwarts: The 3rd Year
by Moon-Shining-Wolf
Summary: Third year at Hogwarts for Chloe and the gang and truths are revealed that will turn Chloe's and Harry's world upside down. What really happened the night the Potters were killed? Is Chloe really related to a murderer that wants to kill her classmate/friend? and who is this man replacing the dark arts Professor? Guess its another crazy year for the girl trio of 3rd Year Gryffindors
1. Prologue

It was 1:15 in the morning when the figure apprated outside onto the muggle street, followed seconds after by two other people. The first had been a woman and in her haste, after she had got the news had not even waited for the other two to apprated altogether. Once she had got the news she just went straight to the location of the one student that she worried the most for by the news.

The older woman didn't even wait to find out the details that the headmaster had about the event, her face had just gone into shock before her instincts took over. Her instincts told her to check up on the girl, the brave lioness in her told her to make sure her Gryffindor cub was safe. So once her feet had touched the street she rushed towards the muggle front door, robes flying in her quick pace as she rushes up to the door and gives a rapid knock.

"Minerva I'm sure the girl is fine, the man only got out hours ago" Headmaster Dumbledore said as he and Severus walked up to the panicked woman. "He has no way to get here so quick, he knows the ministry would track his magic and there is no way he's got a wand" he tried to reason with logic.

"He has a good point McGonagall, after all, there is no point in waking the whole family this late on the matter, it could have waited till morning at least" Snape sided with the headmaster walking up so that both were standing just before the woman. Minerva turned to glare at both men and their uncaring attitude but before she could snap at them someone opened the door.

"Professor McGonagall?" all three professors turned to see it had been in fact the girl they had been worried about that had answered the door, slowly rubbing her right eye while holding the door open with her left hand.

"Miss Perth what on earth are you doing opening the door at this time at night!" Minerva McGonagall exclaimed. "Where are your parents?!" she continued looking around. As the words left her mouth both Mrs and Mr Perth walked down the stairs.

"Professor McGonagall?" Anne Perth asked as she walked to the bottom of the stairs and put a hand on Chloe's shoulder, her Husband putting his arm around her waist standing between his wife and the door still being held open by Chloe who looked confused.

"Why have you come so late?" Mr Perth continued his wife's unspoken question before noticing the two men that were with her also dressed in wizarding robes. "Who are these men?" he asked. At his question, McGonagall's face turned to one of worry and regret.

"Mr and Mrs Perth, _HE_ has escaped" she said simplify knowing that the two would understand the meaning behind her words. The pair did all too well what she meant, Phillip Perth's hand tightened on Anne's waist while her hand tightened on Chloe's shoulder, causing the girl to catch on.

"Professor, why are you, headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Snape here?" Chloe asked, trying not to let on that she knew what they were talking about. Her parents didn't know that she knew and neither did any of the teachers. The only ones to know that she knew the truth about who her real father was were only Hagrid, Eve and Rhiannon. Only them four and for the moment that is how she intended it to stay until the truth was found out.

"Ah where are our manners" Dumbledore said with a slight nod of his head in her parents' direction. "I am Albus Dumbledore; headmaster at Hogwarts, the School your daughter attends" he said with a kind smile which Chloe could tell was being forced because of the company around him. "This is Severus Snape" he continued as he gestured to the other professor still dressed in his regular black robes even though it was past 1 in the morning.

"He is Hogwart's potions master as well as one of the heads of houses; Slytherin" he explained. "He is also the only other professors under my charge that know about your daughters…heritage" he said with an air of mystery that Chloe knew was meant to be trying to keep a secret. Any other time she may have found it amusing, but not at this time in the morning. From his statement, she knew something serious had happened and from what McGonagall had said, Chloe guessed Sirius Black had escaped Azkaban.

"Headmaster it seems that Minerva will not be leaving until the girl is protected to HER satisfaction level" was all that Snape said, didn't even say anything to Chloe's parents as if there weren't important at all. Chloe scowled but not comment on his rudeness. McGonagall didn't let the comment go.

"As if you would be any different if it had been one of YOUR own students Severus" she spat at the man coldly. Snape just raised his nose slightly and wore a smirk.

"Yes, but that would never happen" he said smugly. "Because Slytherins never get as much trouble as _Gryffindor_ students seem to" he finished.

"Watch your tongue Severus, I am much older then you and remember very clearly your years at Hogwarts as if they were yesterday" McGonagall's words weren't much of a threat. After all the great lioness never did like to threaten another member of staff but the meaning behind it was not lost; 'BACK OFF AND SHUT UP'. Her words caused Snape's face to fall back to expressionless one while Chloe's scowl changed into one of a proud smirk, proud at how her head of house had put the man in his place.

"Minerva, she is your student from your house, it is up to you how we go about this and what we should do, both are your students" Dumbledore said in a tone that spoke of calm but an underline of authority.

"Very well we should…."

* * *

So this is the squeal to the second year. there is background in the first two so if you want to continue reading might be an idea to read those first. Did write them a while ago though so just bare that in mind with grammar and such. I am also dyslexic so have tried my best but if you spot something just let me know in a PM. Hope you enjoy the story and yes there will be changes to the original plot.

Original Plot belongs to JKRoweling.

Let me know what you think in a Review if you've got the time or a comment you want to share.

-MSW-


	2. Letters of Comfort

That night it was decided that Chloe would stay with Professor McGonagall at her private home in an out of the way small village in Cornwall. When Chloe refers to her home she is talking about the small bungalow on a small village road. The bungalow had a quant front garden enclosed with a black metal fence and gate that creaked when it opened. The path up to the small house was cobblestone and a variety of flower ran along the border of the small patch of lawn where the set was a table and chair made of the same black metal as the fence.

Though the outside of the house was nothing much expect brick and climbing ivy that was growing tidily up the walls, clear of the door and windows, the inside was a complete other story. The walls were all painted suitably a cream colour while the rest of the house were earthy tones. The curtains were brown and mossy red, the furniture was oak or mahogany and her couch and armchairs were an autumn leaf burgundy. Overall, the house had a great and refined elegance to it while also being simple and functional. The tones of the house suited the professor and so did the subtle reds.

When Chloe had asked how her garden looked so good but she couldn't be here nearly as much as someone should to have their garden in the condition it was, the professor let said it was all because of a local girl she paid to come in and look after it for her, claiming the house was her holiday home. She explained that when you're a professor, it was important that a safe and calming place. Somewhere to come back to when you need to rest and to get away from the stress of it all. If you don't then you risk the job really taking over your life.

She explained to the younger girl that some of the professors went to someplace more exotic with beaches and sun or forests and quite to relax while other's visit family. For her, there was nothing more relaxing than sitting in her garden with a good book in a street filled with muggles and their simple dramas in comparison to the ones of wizards.

For the next few days Chloe was never out of her head of houses sight, only to sleep but even then the professor had changed her bedroom to have two twin beds so the two slept in the same room. The only normal thing was her post. She had been allowed to receive and sent post to her friends, but only through Hoot who sent the mail and collects some from the house through her mother. McGonagall has told her strictly that none but she was allowed to know her private address.

However, her post all had really the same theme to them, though were all expressed differently and only Eve and Rhiannon knew what had happened, the rest still through she was at her old address.

X – X – X

Hey our Favourite Blonde Girl

How have you been since we last wrote? Did you like all the sand by the way? Thought we'd sent a bit of Egypt to you with our love. Not much has happened our end, Egypt is hot and dry and sandy, not much to do. Though we did see some cool mummy tombs when we snuck away from Billy's boring history tour. Did you know they used to worship cats? Apparently so along with a dung beetle and half bird men and load of other strange things, weird right? Ron is has got a sunburn after not listen to mum about covering up, face almost as red as our hair, won't tan though, never does with us redheads that you love so much.

Have you heard about what happened? A mass murder has escaped Azkaban. Find out what you can for us, mum and dad don't want any of us to know about it but you know us, never listen to what were told do we.

Anyway, we'll write back again soon, may have sand in that one r ma find something more annoying to show our love, Godric knows what that will be. Anyway, love from your favourite set of pranking twins,

Gred and Feorge

P.S mum says Ginny had to write her note to you on the back of our letter.

Hello Chloe

I wanted to say thank you for being nice to me last year, especially after what…you know…happened. I was wondering if I could sit with you and your friends on the Hogwarts express again this year on the way to Hogwarts. You don't have to if you don't want to, I can sit with Fred and George if not, I'm sure they won't mind. Anyway, I hope you have a nice rest of the summer and that you keep safe with everything that is going on back over there. (YES WE DO MIND! TAKE HER!)

Sincerely

Ginny Weasley

P.S Sorry about the sand, it was Fred and George's fault.

X – X – X

Dear Miss Chloe Perth

I hope you have been well since the last we spoke and that your family are all in good health. (My mum is looking over my shoulder when I'm writing my letters, apparently, I've not been writing them ladylike. It's really annoying, I mean would she just go away for pity sack, why should I have to be so formal with my best friend?!)

Anyway rant over, how are you doing? Does Dumbledore seriously believe that _HE_ is going to come after you? I guess he must be if he's placed you with Professor McGonagall for the rest of the summer. Do you know what's going to happen in September? What about Harry is he safe? Will you be even going to Hogwarts? Will he think it will be safe enough by then?

Please tell me you're going. I don't think I can deal with Draco and Rhiannon and everything without you there. Anyway, let me know if you need anything and what's going to go on as soon as you can or are allowed. Well that it for this time, write soon.

Yours Faithfully

Miss Eve Overton

(Seriously now she's checking how I sign it, really?)

X – X – X

CHLOE!

OH MY MERLIN, OH MY MERLIN, OH MY MERLIN! Are you ok? Wait, stupid question, of course you're not ok, your father has broken out of prison and maybe psychotic and may be coming after you and your family. Whoops, never mind. So how is it living with Professor McGonagall? What's her house like? Is it very her or is it very muggle? You'll have to let me know. Do you know if you're coming to Hogwarts this year? Please tell me you're coming, I need you there.

It's Percy's last year and he's head boy so it's all very up in the air and everything with Cedric is really weird, like he doesn't seem interested anymore (Thank the great oak tree) but mine and his mum seem to keep pushing it and it's really weirding me out, like their plotting something. Anyway, you need to find out what is happening in September and let me know, I really need you this year. I really need my best friend. So reply as soon as possible.

XXXX Rhiannon XXXX

X – X – X

Hi Chloe

Have you heard what's happened? I mean I'm not sure if you've heard because I'm not sure if you get all the news from the wizarding world, I mean if you do that's great but been as your parents aren't wizards I wasn't sure if you did or not, not that there is anything wrong with the fact that your parents are muggles and so aren't up-to-date on wizarding news, your parents are really nice and kind and nice and yeah, they're your parents and without them there wouldn't be you so they are important and yeah…I'll stop digging now.

Anything the point of the letter was to let you know in case you hadn't heard and so wouldn't know what some people were talking about when it comes to September is that a mass murder call Sirius Black has escaped from the wizarding prison; Azkaban. And I do mean THE wizarding prison, the one that Hagrid got sent to last year, you remember? Anyway be on the lookout and be careful cause this man got out of the wizarding world most secure prison and still no one knows how or even really why, except maybe to kill Harry.

Anyway, that was all really, talk to you soon, and if you still want to talk after all that insulting I just did…Anyway see you soon

Neville

X – X – X

All the letters brought Chloe some level of comfort to know her friends were worried about her. But they didn't give her anything other than they want to find out more about Sirius Black and the truth about what happened that night thirteen years ago. However, there was only one person that could give her answers she really wanted to know at that moment; Albus Dumbledore.

* * *

Please leave a review if you've got a comment you want to share.

Original Plot belongs to JKRoweling

-MSW-


	3. Words with the Headmaster

Chloe managed to convince Professor McGonagall to take her for a meeting with the headmaster five days after she started staying with her head of house. She explained that she deserved to have it ALL explained to her as now it was affecting her life and her family. They arrived by floo into the professor's office just off from her classroom. Chloe looked from the floo to the professor with a curious look.

"You didn't think I slept a Hogwarts did you?" the professor said with a knowing smile and playful glint in her sceptical covered eyes.

"Not even if you have a long night marking?" Chloe asked back with a smile.

"Of course not, how else am I meant to shower and change my robes" McGonagall said as she walked further into the room.

"So what happens if you need to be contacted in the night?" Chloe asked curiously. They walked out of office and into the classroom, heading to the corridor to go to the headmaster's office.

"There is one of my portraits in my classroom has another in my bedroom" the professor began to explain. "This means that she can travel from one to the other and she comes to the one in my bedroom if she sees someone enter my classroom when I am away and I then simply floo back as if I was in my office the whole time" she said with a secret smirk. "But this is just for your ears only Miss Perth, I can't have my secret spread through the school, I'd hate to imagine what a certain pair of twins from our house would do with this information" she said as if swearing the girl to secrecy.

"I would never do that to my head of house, now a particular potions professor or even a certain fake defence against the dark arts professor from our last year are completely different stories" Chloe said with a smirk back of her own. But McGonagall just rolled her eyes.

"If it was the same case for that man I would have set the twins on him myself, he was such a ridiculous man and the nerve of him, coming and teaching in this school when he couldn't even cast the simplest spells" she said as if muttering to herself but been as they were the only two there Chloe heard very clearly.

"I can only think it was so he could find something else to write about by using his students' achievement and fact that we have young minds so his memory charm would have no real side effects" Chloe explained her theory behind the last defence against the dark arts teacher and his motives.

"That or the fact that the man loved the sound of his own voice" the professor countered before sighing dramatically. "Sadly I alone have the privilege of going home every night to sleep in my own bed in my own home" she said as they walked around the corner before having at the courtyard just along the last corridor before the headmaster's office.

"Because you're the deputy headmistress?" Chloe asked and McGonagall couldn't help but look down at the girl and smile.

"No" she said with a gentle smile. "Because I am the only that has asked Dumbledore to" she said before turning to the spread wing bird statue. "Bar-Six" and as she spoke the words the statue began to rise and with it so did a staircase.

"So you are the only one that goes home at night and if you are needed then one of your portraits comes to get you?" Chloe concluded as they came to the end of their conversation as they started to walk up the stairs.

"Yes, although if he knows that there will be no students are around then Dumbledore will just send a message with his Patronus" McGonagall explained further. Chloe looked up at her professor's words.

"The _Expecto Patronum_ Patronus?" Chloe questioned, her interest peaked at the spell that she had read about in her advanced reading that the professor had given her.

"Ah, so you have been reading up on your homework I set you" The professor looked back at the girl behind her as they finished walking to the top of stairs.

"Of course, if I want to move up this year I needed to read up and have the knowledge in the front of my mind" Chloe said as it was the most natural thing in the world. "It's also a section in my charms reading that Professor Flitwick gave me" she stated plainly.

"My, we did make the right decision with bringing you up a class this year, you are defiantly ahead of any of your other classmates" McGonagall said as she turned to fully face the girl. "But now is the time you asked to talk to the headmaster" the professor's tone becoming serious. "Please listen carefully to the man and what he is about to tell you, as you know the man liked to talk in riddles which can be VERY cryptic" the woman stats before turning to knock on the door for the girl. One of Chloe's eyebrows rose in question.

"You're not coming in with me?" she stated more than questioned, to which Minerva just shook her head.

"I will be in my office, come to find me with you two are done and we will head back" with that said and a flip of her robes, the older witch made her way back down the stairs.

"Enter Miss Perth" a voice called the other side of the door. Bring Chloe's attention away from the retreating figure of her head of house and back into the moment and the questions that she had about the man she had found out to be her father. She entered to see the headmaster sitting in his chair behind his desk.

"Good day professor" She said as she closed the door before walking further into the room until she was stood before the large desk that matched the large office around her. "I hope you have been well since we spoke last" Chloe said, not too sure how to ask what it was she wanted to know.

"Now Miss Perth we both know there is no need to beat around the bush" the old man said, an almost knowing gleam in his eyes over his glasses. "Why not ask the question you really want to ask?" he said as he looked at her and gestured towards the chair just to the left of the desk. "Cup of Tea?"

"Yes please, as I think this might just be a long chat" Chloe said as she moved and sat in the suggested chair. Dumbledore clapped his hands together and in no time there was the familiar puff of smoke in the room from that of a house elf.

"How can Whisk aid Hogwart's Master Dumbledore today" at the sound of the small voice Chloe turned to see that it was indeed the house elf she believes she knew that had shown up, the same that seemed to always be looking out for her in the dorms and hospital wing; Whisk.

"Could you bring some tea for me and Miss Perth please?" the wizard said, not really looking towards the elf that appeared but instead looked at Fawkes that was perched on the armrest of his seat. "And some hot rock cookies for Fawkes to snack on" he added.

"Of course Hogwart's Master Dumbledore, Mistress Perth, Whisk will bring them right away" the elf bowed lowly before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Once the elf was gone Dumbledore turned to look at the girl.

"Professor you know why I am here" Chloe said, her eyes full of seriousness. "I know that I am staying with Professor McGonagall for my own safety because my Professor believes that I was in danger where I was because of what Hagrid told the man while he was in prison last year" Chloe explained.

"Oh?" Dumbledore said as he looked over to the girl over his glasses with one of his old white eyebrows raised. "And how do you know what was spoken between Hagrid and your head of house?" he asked cautiously, not to give anything away.

"Because I overheard their conversation while I was outside Professor McGonagall's door waiting for her to finish up so we could begin our One on One lesson" Chloe said in a calm voice. She knew she hadn't done anything anyone else would have done.

"I don't believe anyone would have done anything differently if they heard when they heard what did about themselves" she continued. "After all not too many adopted children know they are until someone tells them" She stated, her eyes looking directly into the headmasters.

"I see" the older man said as he sat back and stroked his greying beard. "So it is now time for you to be brought into the fold, is it?" the man asked, a twinkle in his eyes.

"All I wish to know is the truth so that I figure out my life and the past of my family" she said truthfully. There was no lie on her face or in her eyes.

"But surely you know all about the Perth family tree" Dumbledore said coyly. His words, though meant to be amusing but they were anything but.

"Professor I'm patient, after all, I have to be if I'm friends with the Weasley prankster twins" She said calmly. "However, today is not the day to play games with me" Chloe said seriously. "I want to know about my Family, the _Black_ family" she said as she emphasised the correct family name.

"I want you to tell me about my father, about _Sirius Black_ "

* * *

Please leave a review if you've got a comment you want to share.

Original Plot belongs to JKRoweling

-MSW-


	4. At the Station and onto the Train

It was now the 1st of September once again. McGonagall and Chloe had met up with Chloe's mum and they had got everything that Chloe needed from Diagon Alley for the next year at Hogwarts and now McGonagall stood next to her on the platform of King Cross. Her parents had said their goodbyes earlier that day but the professor had told them it was too dangerous for them to accompany her to the station as it meant that if Black saw them leave then he could follow them back to the house.

Or stop them before they are behind the safety of the wards around their home. Though the professor was certain that they would be safe once the express had left the station because he would no longer have a reason to stay in England. From what everyone could understand or guess the man would only have his sights on Harry and a few others would know that Chloe would be his objective as well. This meant that he would follow them up the country to Hogwarts.

The Professor had wanted to take the girl straight to Hogwarts without and not have the risk of her on the train or on the station platform but Headmaster Dumbledore had insisted that what was happening shouldn't have to have an effect on the girl's normal life or her seeing her friends. He had reasoned that if they brought her straight here then there would be more questions asked as to why she wasn't on the train which would put more suspicion on the girl.

Professor McGonagall couldn't argue with his logic and so gave in and took the girl herself to where the two now stood. The platform was not crowded and the professor had insisted that they get the girl to the train early. Hoot was still with Mrs and Mr Perth to be sent with the first letter to save him from having to travel in his cage and her trunk was on the trolley while the rest was still in her enchanted bag.

The sight of the bag had caused McGonagall to laugh, seeing the girl still had the bag and that it was still in good condition, if only a little worn on the strap. The Professor led the girl to the door of the train where the luggage was kept and levitated the trunk into the cart for the handlers.

"I will help find you a compartment for you and your friends and then I must be off" the woman said sternly. Waling the girl a little down the train to where the seats were.

"I do appreciate you doing this for me professor, all of it" Chloe said with a small smile.

"I would do the same for any of my house Miss Perth, if Potter hadn't met up with the minister of magic after he left the Dursleys and then the Weasleys he would have stayed with us as well" she explained.

"So it had nothing to do with the fact that I am the daughter of the man that has escaped," Chloe said confidently. At her words, the professor stopped where she stood and looked around to see who might have heard Chloe speak. When she saw no one was around she looked back at the girl.

"That is not something you will want all to know young Miss _Perth_ " she emphasised the surname to get her point across to the younger girl. "You may know the history of your family and how famous your family is to the pureblood society, but it is still not a good idea to _SHARE_ your knowledge with _ANYONE_ that doesn't already know" she explained seriously.

"I wasn't planning on it professor, but I don't see why I have to hide it from my friends" Chloe said honestly.

"It is cruel that you have to, but the information hidden may give you a bit of safety, your father's crimes were very serious and I worry that if they know who your family really are, then they would ridicule you" McGonagall explained. "You saw how quickly the others turned on Mr Potter when they found out about his talent as a parcelmouth, how the rest of the school stayed away from Miss Weasley when they found out she had been possessed by You-Know-Who last year" she continued.

"At your age, other students can be very hurtful with their words and actions from both spite or fear, I see no reason for you to have to endure that when it is not a well-known fact and that it is highly unlikely that you will get to have a relationship with this man caught or not" McGonagall explained bluntly. "I'm sorry but that is probably the way it is and the way it will be for the time you are studying at school" it was then the professor gave out a sigh.

"I wish it didn't have to be this way if there was a chance and that he was proved innocent then maybe things would be different" she said with a heavy breath. "But they are not and so we must work with what we've got" she said back in her stern voice it was now they were standing in the train and outside a compartment. "You and your friends I'm sure will find this compartment fine I'm sure" She said as she opened the door for the girl.

"I'm sure we will professor" Chloe said in a sad voice. "Thank you again for your help, I will see you at the sorting ceremony" she said as she walked into the compartment and sat with her bag on her lap.

"I trust you have your robes ready to change into?" McGonagall asked as she stood at the door. She didn't want to leave the girl when she was upset but she would have to go soon. Chloe nodded her head as she turned to look out the window to look at the platform for her friends. "Well, I'll leave you then Miss Perth, I hope your journey will be an uneventful one" and with that, she closed the door to the compartment and turned to walk off the train only to come face to face with Remus Lupin.

"Professor Lupin, what on earth are you doing on this train?" she asked loudly at the sight of the man with his trunk in hand. The new professor was just as shocked as the older woman was.

"Professor McGonagall, are you to travel on this train too?" he asked surprised.

"What are you talking about? Why haven't you Apprated to Hogwarts already?" she asked sternly as if she was scolding one of her students, but it had been many years since Remus Lupin had been one.

"Most of my luggage is already there but Headmaster Dumbledore insisted I take the train for some reason, are you not travelling on it too?" he asked, even more confused. At his words, McGonagall's face grew darker in frustration. She really wished the man would tell her such things before he decided it all for himself.

"No, I am not, I will be going to the Apparition point in a moment and getting back to be ready for the students' arrival" she continued to talk in her stern voice.

"Well, then what brings you onto the Hogwarts express professor?" Remus asked cautiously.

"I was escorting a student on board, Dumbledore believes that it would be wrong to deny her the ride on the train with her friends and that it would bring more suspicion to them if they didn't ride on the train, whereas I would have rather just apprated her alongside me to Hogwarts safely" she huffed out.

"Oh? Her? What is so dangerous that you had to come with her? Could her family not have done it?" her answer to his question had peaked Remus' interest and made him even more curious.

"Her parents are muggles and the wizard that we believe is after her is dangerous, we did not want to leave her unprotected" McGonagall said, not really explaining herself, knowing that there was no need to do so to the man before her. "I'm must go, more students will be arriving soon, the last thing I need is to be held up by their parents" she said quickly before turning and starting to leave the train. Lupin stayed where he was puzzled by the older woman's words. But she stopped just before turning to step off the express's carriage.

"If I were you, your best place to protect the students would be two compartments down from where you're standing right now, _Professor_ "

* * *

Please leave a review if you've got a comment you want to share.

Original Plot belongs to JKRoweling

-MSW-


	5. Truth, Antics Begin, Attack on the Train

Eve and Rhiannon found Chloe by seeing her though the compartment's window relatively quickly when they didn't see her on the platform. When they said goodbye to their families they moved towards their friend. Rhiannon was first though the door and quick to take her friend into her arms.

"Oh my Merlin Chloe" she exclaimed as she hugged the girl tight. Eve was behind her looking Chloe over from where she stood and Chloe gave the girl a reassuring smile. "You're okay, we were so worried, we didn't even know if you would be on the train" Rhiannon kept talking.

"Its fine Rhi, Professor McGonagall brought me here and we will be leaving soon" Chloe said with a smile, slowly pulling herself out of her friend's arms. "Besides, Professor Dumbledore said it would seem weirder if I didn't travel with everyone else" he continued in a quieter voice.

"After all most people would think Harry is the intended target and would find it weird that I was getting special treatment and not the murders 'main; target" she explained.

"That is true" Eve said simply, taking the window seat while Chloe took the one across from her.

"Oh, right" Rhiannon said as she took a seat next to Chloe. "Well at least we can use this time to go over what we know about the family" Rhiannon said. Both Chloe and Eve gave the girl a look of disapproval which confused the brightly dressed girl. "What?"

"This man, my 'father' is accused of mass _murder_ , escaped from a highly guarded prison as well as blamed for death of a fellow housemates parents" Chloe said slow but quietly. "And you think I need to know about his family more than figure out if what is said about him is true or not?" Chloe stated more then asked.

"Of course" Rhiannon said as if it is the most obvious thing in the world. "Family is everything to wizards, it can lead you back through generations and even signal what magic you might be strong in" she explained. "You family's magic flows through your blood and is why you have strong magic" she continued.

"If that is true then why is Hermione so good in her grades?" Chloe said crossing her arms, not convinced. Sure they should be using the time for other reasons but for some reason it felt good to have the subject of their conversation the same as it had been for so long now.

"She has good grades because of her intelligence and determination but she doesn't have all the natural talent of the rest" Eve corrected. "If you look she has lots of book smart but it does take her a couple of goes of a spell before she gets it correct" she elaborated when Chloe gave her a look of doubt.

"Yeah, if she wasn't so book smart then she would be just as average as Dean or Justin" Rhiannon added. "Not that it is a bad thing, there are plenty of cases of low wizards and witches from long bloodline struggling with simple spells, but again it can be lead to their heritage and family" Rhiannon went on.

"Take Eves bloodline, there are loads of recorded Overton's as Aurors, so it makes sense that she's good with defensive spells not to mention what her older brother does teaching at Durmstang or her sister the medical witch over in America for MUCUSA" the girl said off handedly, noticing Eve's back straightening at the emotions of her siblings.

"Then there are my parents, my mum has to brew simple potions at work for the kids she looks out for and well as some of their parents" she said, Chloe noticed the pride in the girl's voice talking about her mother.

"Yeah, but didn't you say that your dad had a desk job before he retired?" Chloe countered, but Rhiannon smirked.

"Ah, but have eaten his baking? A task that follows a receipt and the steps set out carefully to replicate a baked good the same as another?" she replied, seeming to have predicted her comment. "And your _father_ , he was one of the three youngest students to become an Animagus in only their second year" she said with a smile.

"Ok say I believe this idea of magic strengthening within each generation that doesn't mean that the only reason I am good in Transfiguration is because my father is-" Chloe began but quickly stopped her sentence when the compartment door began to open. The three occupants looked towards the door.

"Hey, is still ok to sit with you?" came a strong but slightly timid voice by the door. Standing there was the youngest redhead that any of them knew, dressed in a red jumper and grey skirt, her carry case in hand. Chloe smiled brightly at the girl while Rhiannon looked past her and Eve stayed neutral.

"Of course Ginny" Chloe said as she got up and took the girls case. "Sit by the window and put this up here for you" she said brightly, gesturing the girl into the seat she had just been in. Ginny smiled in thanks and did as suggested. Rhiannon was still looking but a frown was on her face.

"Is Percy not with you?" she asked the girl, a frown still on her face. Ginny shrugged her shouldered.

"He said he had to head to the heads quarters of the train to see who the Head girl is" the young girl explained. Chloe could see Rhiannon's frown grow with the statement but there was a slam into the side of train in the corridor. Chloe now frowned and open the compartment, thinking someone had fallen and they might need help up. How wrong she could have been.

"Nice to see you Longbottom, still at the bottom I see?" came the snippy remark from none other than Draco Malfoy. The blond twit not far followed by his loyal Hench-wizards-in-training; Crabbe and Goyle. The three where looking down their noses to Neville that was sitting on the floor, as if just pushed over on to it. "Can't you ever not fall over your own feet" Draco taunted with a smirk.

"Oh I see the Prince has arrived, seems my day is already ruined by the sight" Chloe called out as she walked from her compartment. Rhiannon was now up and looking out and so had Ginny. Eve had got up and at the sight in the corridor walked along with Chloe with a roll of her eyes.

"Watch your tongue Perth, or it might grow" Draco said with a glare as she and Eve got level with Neville how had started to pick up the few bits that had come out of his bag.

"Nah, I hear that's what happens to you Slytherin" she replied with a smirk. "Say, have yours started to fork yet?" Chloe said as she rested her hand of her fist leaning forward as if inspecting something. Draco's glare darkened while Crabbe and Goyle gave each other a worried look. Eve was ignoring the boys before her and offered Neville a hand up. Draco watched this and looked about to say something in outrage but was stopped by her next words.

"Ignore the juveniles Neville, I'm sure it's a phase, hopefully, they will grow out of it" She dismissively. Something that seemed to only anger Draco further.

"So you don't even greet me now" he called after the girl.

"Maybe she will when you earn it Draco" Chloe said as she followed her housemates back though the corridor. Draco made to grab her but his wrist was grabbed causing a loud noise. Chloe turned to see two of her favourite redheads standing by the door of their compartment. One with her hand around the brats' wrist. While the other shook his finger making a 'tusk-tusk' noise with his teeth.

"Now, now little snakes, I think it is time for you to move along" the one tusking said with a smirk.

"Wouldn't want you to fall flat on your faces when it starts to move?" the one holding Draco's wrist said with a matching smirk.

"Release me you filthy blood traitor" Draco snapped as he pulled his wrist away. The twin's hold wasn't tight so his hand came free with one tug.

"Yes, yes, now run along before _ALL_ the lions in the den wake up" the first spoke again.

"After all, everyone knows three snakes cannot take on all the lions in Hogwarts" the second spoke again. Draco glared at the twins and then turned towards the girl that had slighted him already in the school year.

"Whatever, let's go, I need to wash the loser and Blood traitor off my hands anyway" Draco said as he turned around, heading to the 'Slytherin' area of the train. Chloe and the twins watched the three leave before Chloe turned to head to her compartment where her friends were waiting for her.

"No thank you Perth?" called a twin causing Chloe to turn to her head to them. "No respect for her elders Forge" Fred with a smirk towards her.

"You got that right Gred, none indeed" George replied back with a playful smile. Chloe rolled her eyes at their antics.

"Oh, thank you, my brave Gryffindor knights" she replied sarcastically before turning and walking into her compartment, closing the door behind her.

X – X – X

The journey was going smoothly. The five just fell into comfortable rhythm of topics ranging from each other's summer and then on to the school year ahead. However, Neville unfortunately asked Ginny the unspoken sensitive topic in the room.

"Ginny, is it true that Percy is this year's Head Boy" at the mention of the boy's name Rhiannon's frown returned. She had told them all that they hadn't been able to see each other for the last two weeks because Rhiannon's family had been on holiday while the Weasleys had been away for the last three.

"Um, yeah" Ginny said, shooting the girl by the compartment door a wary look. "He got his letter in the past last week, mum was almost in tears again" Ginny said, not trying to go into too much detail.

"Oh yeah, your older brother Bill was head boy as well, wasn't he" Neville said, still oblivious to Rhiannon's reactions as Ginny was sitting by the window and Neville was sat between Chloe and the young redhead. Ginny nodded to what Neville said and thought the topic would finish. It didn't. "I heard someone on the platform say that Penelope Clearwater is this year's Head girl" he said with a smile. "You know the pretty Ravenclaw muggle-born" he said brightly when the girl didn't say anything. "The blonde, quite tall one, she's got a very small face, normally had her head in a book and bossing the younger years around" at his words Rhiannon couldn't take anymore.

"We get it Neville! The head girl is-" but before she old carry on the train jerked to a halt. Eve held onto the window rail to keep in place while Rhiannon, who had sat further forward to rant flow off her chair and onto Chloe and Neville who had hit their heads when they slammed into each other on the jolt.

"Everyone ok?" Eve asked as they all got their heads straight.

"Neville you have a hard shoulder" Chloe groaned as she held her temple to lessen the pain.

"That was my ear you head butted" he grouched back, rubbing his sore ear.

"Are you ok Rhiannon?" Ginny asked the older girl as she got back into her seat.

"No" the girl snapped, rubbing her wrist she had used to catch herself.

"No need to snap at her" Eve scolded. "Why have we stopped?" she asked quietly to herself aloud.

"How should we know?!" Rhiannon snapped again.

"Um" Ginny tried to ask but was over shadowed by the boy beside her.

"Did we break down?" Neville added aloud.

"Again how should we know Neville" Rhiannon snapped and Chloe frowned.

"Um" Ginny tried again but was ignored.

"Chill it Rhi, stop getting snappy will you, it's not helping my head" Chloe said seriously. She understood the girl was frustrated but she also knew that the girl would be upset with herself if she went on. Rhiannon opened her mouth to reply but thought the better of it and closed her mouth.

"Hey!" Ginny called, trying to get the compartments attention. The four third years turned to look at the younger redhead with a questioning look but Ginny just pointed towards the window. There ice was spreading along the glass in in beautiful but frozen patterns. Chloe saw this though the slight blur at the corners of her vision. The sound of the sliding door opening of the next compartment could be heard and Rhiannon went to do the same. However, another jolt of the train caused her to land back in her seat and the other compartment door slammed shut.

"Wow" Neville said as he steadied himself and put his hand out to steady Chloe from hitting her head again. The temperature dropped further and soon all was silent on the train carriage. The five could see their breath forming clouds. Chloe nodded in thanks to Neville while reaching for her bag for her wand, the others doing the same timidly. However, before any could reach their targets they all halted, like a force all caused them to stiffen. Outside the compartment dark figures and shapes formed. The silence around was deafening,

Suddenly, a huge dark figure came into view, the compartment door sliding open. It looked like it was searching for something. Chloe wasn't sure what was going on, wasn't sure why the creature scanned the compartment before stopping at her. It was then everything stood still around the compartment as the creature moved closure to Chloe, her eyes growing wide, realising that she was what they were looking at. Everything else seemed to stop and no one moved as the figure came closer to the girl.

The ripped material around it flowed around and its long skinny hand reached towards her. Chloe couldn't look away. There was no eyes to connect with, only the outline of what someone could only assume was a mouth. She watched as the creature started to slowly open its mouth, like taking a breath. Chloe felt cold, the air around her being drawn to this haunting figure.

She felt the warmth leave her skin as she became tired, her limbs wouldn't move as her body knew she had to get away from the danger. She then started to have flashes in her vision, images of sad times in her life. Frightening images that used to make her scared when she was younger, images that she hadn't thought about in years. These memories caused her to be even more sad and frightened.

When the image would finish she would still be looking at the dark figure before her. The glooming figure that was sucking all the warmth and air from around her. It was then Chloe figured out that it was the creature that was causing her to see these images of sad times, but still she could not move.

Suddenly, a bright warm light flooded the carriage of the train, the light came from the right of the compartment and was a quick as a blink. The figure was pushed away from Chloe, its draining brought to a sudden stop. After that Chloe only saw darkness.

X – X – X

"If you'll excuse me, I need to have a little word with the driver" Remus told Harry as he got up from his seat and walked towards the door, opening it. "Eat, you'll feel better" he said as he looked back before shutting the door behind him. Remus didn't walk very far before he heard commotion in the compartment next to the one he had been in.

"Chloe!" he heard a frightened girl say.

"Chloe, Chloe wake up!" another said.

"We should get help" this time it was a boy.

"Perth so help me, wake up ok" a final girl said.

'Perth? No, it couldn't be' Remus thought as he quickly opened the door to the compartment that the noise was coming from. The sight caught him very much by surprise. 'It couldn't be' he thought. By the door was a girl unconscious, resting up against a boy very taller than the rest of the girls in the compartment. Remus could tell that the girl had suffered from the Dementors like Harry had. But there was more reason for this girl's attack than there had been for them going after Harry.

"Who are you?" Remus was brought out of his surprise when one of the girls spoke. They had all seen the man come into the room but Eve was the one to question the new stranger.

"Remus Lupin" he quickly stated before going towards Chloe. He crouched beside her and took her wrist in his hand. The boy first gave him a confused look before he turned to the others in the room. Remus ignored him as he concentrated on the pulse that was steady though the girl. Slowly Chloe started to come to by her own will. Remus could see the fogginess clouding her vison. He let out a breath as he took in her face, seeing much of her parents mixed in her features, more her mother more than her father.

"My head" was the first thing that the blonde girl spoke. Remus could only give a small smile, remembering many of the times he had heard the same words from the girl's father, though they were for very different reasons.

"You're ok" Remus said softly to the girl. "The pain will go, it's just a side effect of Dementor attacks" he explained calmly, reaching into his pocket to break off more of his bar of chocolate. "Eat this" he said bring the chocolate out of his pocket into the view of everyone in the compartment. "Chocolate helps recovery from their magic effect" he stated while he put the two broken flat squares in the girls small hand. Chloe looked from the chocolate in her hand to the man before her. Chloe gave a small nod of thanks before sitting up, a hand on her temple while the other brought the sweet up to nibble on.

"What was that creature?" Ginny asked timidly in the corner. Drawing Remus' attention from the girl before him to the others in the compartment. He stood back up from his crouch and straightened his blazer before turning to address them all.

"It was a Dementor, One of the guards of Azkaban" he explained like he had to Harry and his friends. He found it slightly ironic that he had seen the children of his best friends in the space of ten minutes and they were sat with only a thin wall of train compartment between them. "It's gone now, it was only searching the train for-" before he could finish the girl finished.

"For Sirius Black" Chloe said swiftly before changing the subject. "Thank you for your help…?" he started but didn't know the man's name.

"Remus Lupin" he said before reaching for the door handle. "Excuse me, I was on the way to talk to the train driver when I heard your friends' worried voices" he explained as he opened the door. "Keep eating the chocolate and you'll recover quickly" and with that he left the compartment, knowing that he had just met Sirius' daughter for the second time in his life.

* * *

Please leave a review if you've got a comment you want to share.

Original Plot belongs to JKRoweling

-MSW-


	6. New Professors, Welcoming Speeches

The rest of the journey went by quickly after the attack. Remus had stopped by once he had talked to the driver to see how Chloe had got on with the chocolate. Seeing that she had finished it he gave her another two squares. Remus then properly introduced himself, explaining that he was the new defence against the dark arts Professor by invitation of Dumbledore, which caused Eve to listen more closely at the mention of her best and favourite subject.

He told them that Harry had been sitting in the compartment he had been travelling in when the boy was attacked like Chloe had been. He then explained that he had used the Expecto Patronus charm to drive the creature away to protect him, stating that the same charm had probably done the same to the one attacking Chloe.

After he left Chloe, Eve and Rhiannon shared a look to say they would need to talk about this later. Once the train pulled into Hogsmeade station the five made their way to the carriages in the rain and travelled to the school for another year of magic and drama.

X – X – X

All were sat in the great hall. When they had all arrived Angelina had jumped straight on Chloe. Hugging the girl close and then checking every inch that she could get her hands on of her 'little sister'. It seemed that tales of Chloe and Harry's fainting had spread around and worried the now fifth year. Even the twins seemed to keep giving her looks to check on her, though she believed that it was more because their mother would hex them if something happened to Molly Weasley's 'extended children'. The worry and excitement died down and the ceremony began.

The first years were seated and sorted into their houses for the 7 years. Now it was time for the headmasters welcoming speech. All were quite as the great man stood up from his seat and made his way to the podium set up to address the students.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts" the man started off, all eyes on him. "Now, I'd like to say a few words before we all become too befuddled by our excellent feast" he said with amusement. "First, I'm pleased to welcome Professor Lupin" he said as he gestured in the man's directions from his place at the head table. "He's kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, good luck, professor" he said with a smile before turning back to the hall.

"Of course. That's why he knew to give you the chocolate, Harry" Hermione said to Harry from where the third year Gryffindors had taken up a section.

"Potter" most of the Gryffindor table turned at the sound of their classmate's name being called from the Slytherin table, knowing that no good would come from it. "Is it true you fainted?" Draco Malfoy asked with a snicker.

"I heard it was him and the Mudblood" the girl to his side, Pansy Parkinson said with a proud smirk.

"What? Rat nest?" Crabbe asked in confusion, the normal puzzled look on this face.

"No, teacher's petty Perth" Blaise Zabini said with a roll of his eyes at the simple confusion on his housemates face. Chloe just sent them a bored look, unaffected by their words.

"So I mean, you both actually fainted?" Draco said, bring the attention back on him, just like he wanted. Chloe just rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Professor Dumbledore, giving Ginny a nudge beside her to turn back to the front, seeing that the girl looked like she wants to say something.

"Shove off, Malfoy" Ron spat as he turned Harry back to the table, effectively stopping the teasing.

"How did he find out?" Harry muttered under his breath, embarrassed that now the information would be around the school by the end of the feast.

"Just forget it, it wasn't like it was just you that had it happen to" Hermione said quietly.

"Yeah, just him and a muggle-born girl with no relationship" Ron muttered. At his words, Chloe and Rhiannon send sharp looks in his direction, while Eve kicked the ginger under the table.

"And why does it make it worse that it was _just him AND_ a muggle-born girl?" Chloe questioned. Ron paled, realising his mistake. Hermione hid behind her hands and Harry was confused. Luckily, before any more could be said and the two could bury themselves by their words there was a scrap of the teacher's table moving.

Hagrid had been announced the new Care of magical creatures professor. He had tried to stand up like Remus had when gestured to. However, being as nervous as he had been, he'd moved the whole table. This caused the load noise as well as few students to giggle and laugh. The headmaster was not fazed by the interruption.

"Finally, on a more disquieting note at the request of the Ministry of Magic" he started. "Hogwarts will, until further notice, play host to the Dementors of Azkaban until such a time as Sirius Black is captured" he explained. "The Dementors will be stationed at every entrance to the grounds and whilst I've been assured that their presence will not disrupt our day-to-day activities a word of caution" he stressed his words. "Dementors are vicious creatures, they'll not distinguish between the one they hunt and the one who gets in their way" he continued.

Chloe felt like someone was looking her way, as she looked away from the headmaster she saw that Professor McGonagall was looking at her with a worried look. However, she had not been the only one of the professors at the table with the look. Hagrid was giving her the look, Professor Snape, though not a look of worry really clear it was that he was focused in her and Harry's direction.

Finally, the newly appointed professor Lupin was looking her and Harry's way, a look mixed with worry and almost nostalgia. The look confused her only slightly. She remembered the headmaster telling her the story of her father in his time in and after Hogwarts. She remembered him telling her that he had been in a group of friends, one of which being Harry's father. The way that the new man looked at Harry it was clear that he saw a face he recognised. It had always been said to the boy he looked like his father expect he had his mother's eyes.

Chloe believes that the look was because professor Lupin had known Harry's father, and probably had been very close to him. If Chloe's theory was correct then Lupin had been one of the four friends in her father's mischievous group; the marauders as Dumbledore had told her they had called themselves. But this then brought on her questions of if he had known about her true father.

Chloe put the thoughts out of her mind and choose to confront them another time. She knew it was best to concatenate on the headmaster's warnings rather than questions that would just lead to more unanswerable questions, at the time.

"Therefore, I must warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you, as it is not in the nature of a Dementor to be forgiving" the seriousness of his warning coming off him in waves, danger clearly laid out for everyone to understand. "But you know" he started with a happier tone in his voice coming through. "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times" he said as he waves his hand over the top of one of the six candles light on the podium.

"If one only remembers to turn on the light" he finished with another wave of his hand, lighting the candle again with wandless magic. With that, the speech was brought to an end and the feast appeared on the tables in front of the students, who readily dug into the tasty delights layout in front of them.

* * *

Please leave a review if you've got a comment you want to share.

Original Plot belongs to JKRoweling

-MSW-


	7. Breakfast and Timetables

The 2nd of September. The first day of classes of the year. It was an early morning when the four girls in the dorms woke up. The night before Hermione had introduced the girl's to her new cat, Crookshanks. He was a ginger tom like Carbucketty and was a half Persian & half kneazle. However, while Carbucketty showed more common farm tom-cat features, Crookshanks showed more Persian breed features.

So this meant that in the room there were the three Cats: Carbucketty (Eve's ginger half tom-cat & half-Kneazle), Midnight (Rhiannon's dark furred Bengal cat) and now Crookshanks (Hermione's ginger half Persian & half kneazle) while Chloe had her loyal Hoot, the only owl in the dorm.

So now the four girls had their four pets they fed and cared for them when they awoke before they got dressed ready for the day. Hermione dressed in her normal grey skirt, white blouse, yellow and red tie, grey socks and robes.

Rhiannon changed into her red 'V' neck vest with block yellow trims, her red and yellow tie underneath. She had on her black pleated skirt with black sheer tights and her heeled shoes with Gryffindor robes hung from her shoulders over the top.

Eve wore a black 'V' neck vest with red and yellow stitching along the Black 'V' trim. She wore a grey pleated skirt with black socks with her black and white heeled strap shoes. Her red and yellow striped tie tied around her neck and Gryffindor robes hung from her shoulders over the top.

Chloe put on her red 'V' neck vest, red and yellow tie under it. She wore black long-legged trousers along with a pair of red and yellow check knee high socks paired with her flat shoes while her Gryffindor robes hung from her shoulder. As the four walked out their room Chloe was surprised to see Ginny standing outside their door, looking a little like a lost puppy. When she saw that she had been spotted she lowered her head, hiding her face.

"Morning Ginny" Chloe said with a bright smile. "Ready for breakfast?" she asked. Her words seemed to get the girl to nod timidly. "Alright, want to walk with us?" again all she answered with was a nob. Chloe turned her head to look at the other three of her dorm mates. Rhiannon gave a shrug while Hermione seemed to have walked off, probably to catch up with Ron and Harry. Eve didn't give a gesture as she started to walk in the direction of the exit.

Chloe just shrugged and stared to walk in the same direction as Rhiannon, noticing that Ginny was close behind her. The four girls walked to the great hall, asking the youngest Weasley mostly common questions of sleep, classes she was looking forward to and spells that her brothers had taught her. When they reached the hall, Chloe stopped causing Ginny to do the same, while Rhiannon and Eve just looked back.

"We'll catch you up in a second, save us a seat?" Chloe asked to which her friends nodded their heads and walked into the hall. Now with the other two gone Ginny seemed to get even more timid. Chloe sighed and bowed so she was lower than the red head and looked u into the girl's eyes. "So Ginevra Weasley, what has got the brave Gryffindor like you timid this morning?" Chloe questioned. Ginny could tell she had been caught, not knowing what to say she turned her head to the side, looking away in embarrassment.

"Is it your dorm mates?" Chloe asked, already guessing what was going on. With what happened last year it wouldn't be that surprising if the others were giving the girl a hard time. Ginny gave a slow nod to Chloe's question confirming it. "Is it _just_ your dorm mates?" Chloe asked again. Again Ginny didn't look at the older girl and gave a slow shack of her head. "Ok, and this is making you uncomfortable?" Chloe pressed, Ginny nodded.

"Well I cannot speak for others but you are more than welcome to spend time with me and the girls" Chloe stressed. "However, you; Ginevra Weasley was sorted into Gryffindor, so I know in there is a very brave girl who has to deal with _six_ older brothers, ones that cannot seem to agree on anything from what I've seen and heard" Chloe explained. "So as a Gryffindor I expect you to try and prove those that doubt that they are wrong about you" Chloe said proudly.

"But what if they don't want to believe me" Ginny asked quietly. Chloe smirked at the girl who was now looking up at her.

"Then you come to me and I sort them out for you, I seem to have a knack for getting through stubborn Gryffindor heads" Chloe said with a smile. Ginny giggled a little at that.

"Like when you call Ron a snake in lion skin?" Ginny asked with a smile, Chloe laughed at the memory of that incident in the common room.

"In my defence, that was because your brother was being a troll-head" Chloe explained. "And it wasn't just him, it had been aimed at all the guys that had been teasing Hermione at the time" Chloe said. "Now what do you say we go in there, have breakfast and see where our day takes us" She said positively, linking arms with the smaller girl before pulling her into the great hall before she could protest.

The thought did cross her mind that she had become the big sister to Ginny that Angelina had become to her, though she didn't squeeze the life out of Ginny like the older girl did to her. It was in that moment that, as if she'd been summoned by Chloe's thoughts Chloe was dragged away from Ginny and into the beginning of cleavage that was very familiar.

"Good morning Angelina" Chloe managed to get out before she was released.

"Good morning little sister" the older girl said brightly. "Good morning little Weasley" and with that Ginny as she received a calmer version of the hug Chloe had received. "Come on, food will be eaten and you two really need some meat on your bones" Angelina joked dragging the two into the hall. As the three got to the table, Chloe realised Eve and Rhiannon had saved seats just beside Collin in Ginny's year. 'Perfect' she thought to herself as Angelina sat with Katie while Ginny and she walked into the space.

"Morning Collin" Chloe greeted with a smile. At the mention of his name Collin turned. Chloe could see the tips of his ears turn blush with embarrassment and his friends give each other nudges. "Do you mind if Ginny and I sit here?" she asked, knowing that the boy wouldn't really refuse anyone anything. He was too sweet to say no if he could help it Merlin bless him.

It seemed that he had lost his words but just gave her a nod of his head. Chloe smiled brightly as she sat next to Eve so Ginny had to sit next to Collin. Ginny seemed to catch on to her plan and so sat and asked Collin how he and the other Gryffindor boys were. Collin, as expected wasn't fazed as he launched into an in-depth conversation about all the places him and his parents had visited.

Chloe smiled at the development and started to tuck into her breakfast. Not noticing a pair of brown eyes that had watched her with a gleam of jealousy in them.

The rest of Breakfast ran smoothly until the timetables were handed along the table, going to the people they were addressed to. Chloe had first looked at Ginny and Collins. Commenting on how much she loved certain things, having noticed that the two's conversation had gotten a little awkward. Once happy that they could carry on without her help, she turned to her own timetable. Forgetting for the moment the change that Professor McGonagall and she had agreed on before the start of the year when she had been staying with the older woman.

"We've got Charms first" she said aloud reading her time table.

Monday: Transfiguration, double History of Magic (HM), Lunch, double Defence Against the Dark Arts (DADA), Double Potions.

Tuesday: Herbology, charms, astronomy, Lunch, Herbology, double Care of Magically Creatures (MC), Astronomy.

Wednesday: Double potions, Herbology, Lunch, double Transfiguration, Herbology, DADA,

Thursday: Charms, DADA, Transfiguration, lunch, Care of MC, double divination, Astronomy.

Friday: Astronomy, Double Divination, Lunch, double HM, double charms.

"Charms?" Rhiannon asked with a puzzled look. Chloe looked up to see all the third years were giving her a confused look. "Chloe, we have Transfiguration with McGonagall" she said as if it was the clearest thing as glass.

"Ah, no" Chloe said sheepishly. "McGonagall has moved me up a year" she said embarrassed.

"Up a year? No way, Hermione is the smartest" Ron boasted. "If someone was going to be moved it would have been her, not you Perth" he said, smiling as if it was a joke. Chloe frowned at the comment.

"I'm serious, Professor McGonagall mentioned she was thinking of putting me up a year in Charms and Transfiguration" Chloe stated defensively. Ron still had a look of disbelief, as if it was all a joke.

"Well, why don't we just find out?" he stated smugly. Turning to Katie Bell just a little up the table sitting next to Angelina. "Hey Bell!" he called getting the girl's attention. The girl in question turned to look at him, seeming very annoyed that he interrupted her conversation.

"You fourth years got charms first lesson?" he asked smugly, seemingly un-phased by her look.

"No" she replied as if it was the most obvious thing. Ron turned to Chloe, smile even wider.

"See, Professor McGonagall must have just made a mistake" he said plainly.

"Do you really believe _Professor McGonagall_ would actually make a _mistake_?" Eve spoke up in defence. Ron looked as if he was going to reply but was stopped in his tracks.

"The fourth years might not have Charms" one of the twins said from down the table.

"But us fifth years have got it first lesson" the other finished. All the third years turned quiet. Ron's look of disbelief turned to a much more shocked disbelief then he had been before. Chloe was shocked because she had assumed that her head of house would have only put her up a single year.

"Oh cricket Chloe!" Hermione called out, a bright smile on her face. The blond looked at the girl to see the girl giving her a bright smile. "You got moved up not just one year, but two!" the girl said excitedly. "That means you get to do your OWLs this year!" Hermione said, almost bouncing in her seat.

"Hermione, you are the only person I know that would get excited about having exams earlier" Ron said with a cringe when the girl in question turned to give him a steely glare before giving a huff and turning away from the red head.

"Well class is going to begin shortly and I need to give Hoot his breakfast before we start" Chloe said standing. She had always got bacon in her napkin ready for Hoots morning treat. As she rose from the table so did Rhiannon and Eve.

"I thought you didn't bring your owl with you on the train?" Ron asked puzzled.

"I didn't, he arrived last night" Chloe explained. She gave one last look to Ginny and Collin, seeing that the two were getting on fine. Even some of the others from their year were talking along with them, her worry was settled for the time being. "See you all in Defence after" Chloe said with a wave. Once the three were out of ear shot, Chloe gave a quick look around them, making sure they were mostly alone to earwig on their conversation. Once she was sure there wasn't anyone she turned to the girls beside her.

"Do you keep seeing the way the new professor keeps looking over to Harry?" she asked, wanting to make sure that she had seen what was actually there and not something that she _wanted_ to be there.

"You mean the way he keeps looking at Harry _and you?_ Yeah, hard to miss" Rhiannon said seriously. It was unusual for the girl, but this wasn't a normal situation.

"He's not really being discreet about it either" Eve added.

"I think he might have been part of marauders, the friend's group the headmaster spoke to me about" Chloe spoke her thoughts aloud. They were going to be no use just sitting up there.

"You mean the group Dumbledore told you that Harry's dad was part of?" Rhiannon questioned.

"The one that _your_ father was part of?" Eve said more pointedly.

"The very same" Chloe said as they came to the corridor leading to the common room portrait. "Think I'm going to need to talk with our new professor after our lesson today" she stated.

"Might be a good idea, get a better idea of what he knew about the man" Rhiannon.

"Might help to stop questions rising before they do with the attention he's showing you both, Harry can be explained away with his Hogwarts friendship, but…" Eve started.

"Interest in a muggle-born with no ties to the wizarding world would be harder to explain away"

X – X – X – X

Once Chloe, Eve and Rhiannon gathered they books and stationary for the day they had headed down to the common room, only to see the twins, Lee Jordan and Angelina waiting by the couch in front of the fireplace at the bottom of the girl dorms stairs.

"There she is" one of the twins exclaimed happily.

"Brightest Witch in the third year" the other continued in their usual fashion.

"Might even be the brightest in fifth too"

"We don't know that dear twin till we see her in class"

"Your right twin" Chloe rolled her eyes at their antics.

" _Hermione_ holds that title, I have no claim on it" Chloe said with a smirk.

"True, but she wasn't the one to be moved up two years" Lee counted with a matching smirk.

"That's because she would have to be raised in _ALL_ classes" Rhiannon stated with a smile.

"Easier to just switch two then move up a whole year" Eve finished.

"Yeah, yeah, Hermione is her own brand of smart" Angelina said with a wave of her hand. "But today, I get my first lesson with my little sister" she said proudly, wrapping her arm around the youngers girls shoulders.

"You're not going to say that every time we have a class, right?" Chloe asked nervously.

"You can bet she is" the twins started up again.

"Couldn't get her to stop boasting-"

"-The whole way though breakfast"

"Sounds like you don't share the same idea for it" Eve said with a smirk.

"Oh we believe in her Overton"

"We just keep thinking of all the pranks we can pull"

"With the help of our new young classmate"

"You mean _blame_ on her" Rhiannon said, knowing plenty of stories in person and from Percy.

"We can't all be a saint as your boyfriend"

"Yeah our brother Percy is just one of a kind that way"

"At least Bill still had a sense of humour when he was head boy"

"Not sure how you can still be with him when he's like that"

"Would have thought you'd have got over him by now"

"After a year of the same guy"

"Or he would have, Clearwater is hot" one twin said as the other nodded with a smirk. Eve and Chloe held their breaths and looked to Rhiannon to see her teasing mood vanish and her mood sour. With a scowl on her face she turned and left the common room. Eve shook her head.

"You guys are horrible" she said before turning to Chloe. "See you in defence" and with that she ran after their friend.

"You guys can be jerks you know" Chloe said, but the four other people in the room just shrugged, the news being nothing new to any of them. Chloe just sighed. It was going to be a _long_ year.

* * *

Please leave a review if you've got a comment you want to share.

Original Plot belongs to JKRoweling

-MSW-


	8. Boggart Your Fear, Then Questions

Surprisingly, charms went well for Chloe and the fifth years. Much like the rest of the years, Gryffindors shared Charms with Slytherins. The two houses were sat opposite each other in raised rows, all facing the centre when professor Flitwick stood at his podium. The professor hadn't really addressed the change in the class list, only when one of the fifth year Slytherins pointed out Chloe's presences. He had just told them it was the headmaster's decision and that they would have no say in getting her removed from the class, only her behaviour would effect that outcome.

Words flew round in whisper about 'teacher petty' muggle-born Perth getting 'Gryffindor special treatment', but Chloe ignored it. She was much too focused on learning techniques that she had only read around over the summer. She was excited about the challenge it brought upon her. Luckily, she had been seated between Lee and Angelina so the twins had no time to distract her, or as much as they would have liked. They tried but did not succeed, which was good because she enjoyed the lesson too much, so much so she forgot who she was going to confront after her next one.

X – X – X – X

Slytherin and Gryffindor third years stood in the defence against the dark arts class room that had been used to teach them for the last two years. Two years, two professors. One a possessed man while the other was egotistical and a fake. Now in their third year with professor number three, the class were eager to see what the year brought them.

"Just set your bags to the side of the room for today, you'll only need your wands for today's lesson" Professor Lupin explained from the where he stood beside a wardrobe. At the sound of his voice, the locked cabinet rattled, a horrific noise roaring from within it. Some students that were shocked, took a step away. "Intriguing, isn't it?" the tall professor addressed the class, gaining their attention to him. Chloe, Rhiannon and Eve looked at each other, each already having a guess at what was behind the door.

"Would anyone like to venture a guess, as to what is inside?" he asked.

"That's a boggart, that is" Dean stated. Chloe looked at him, impressed by his guess.

"Very good, Mr Thomas, 5 points to Gryffindor" Professor Lupin said with a proud smile. "Now, for another 5 points can anybody tell me what a boggart looks like?" he asked again.

"No one knows" Hermione spoke up. Her voice seemed to spook Ron beside her, but she didn't let that slow her in her answer. "Boggarts are shape-shifters, they take the shape of whatever a person fears the most" she explained. "That's what makes them so..." the girl paused, looking for the right words.

"So terrifying, yes, well done Miss Granger, 5 points" Lupin said with a smile. Chloe sent a nod over to Hermione as did Rhiannon before the professor continued. "Luckily, a very simple charm exists to repel a boggart" he explained. "Let's practice it now" he said, when the class moved to take hold of their wands he rose his hands, both wandless. "Without wands, please, don't want the spell miss-fired by accident now" the professor joked, but they all understood the warning behind his words.

"After me, Riddikulus!" he pronounced.

"Riddikulus!" the class repeated in unison.

"Very good, though a little louder and it needs to be very clear to work" he criticised them. "Listen; Riddikulus!" he repeated the pronunciation.

"Riddikulus!" they tried again, by the look the professor gave them was an indicator, it was better.

"This class is ridiculous" Chloe heard Draco say to his little group, Pansy and Daphne giggled at his words. The blond looked over to where Eve stood but she was focused on what the professor was saying, purposely ignoring the boy. Chloe saw a look of annoyance cross the proud blondes face and smirked.

"Very good, So much for the easy part" the professor said, face turning serious again. "You see, the incantation alone is not enough, what really finishes a boggart is laughter" he explained. "You need to force it to assume a shape you find truly amusing, the opposite of fear is joy" Lupin continued. "Let me explain" he stated when she saw there were still confused faces in the room. "Neville, would you join me, please?" he asked, volunteering the boy to be first. Chloe decided it was a smart as she wasn't sure anyone would have put themselves first, to show their fear to everyone? She really didn't.

"Come on, don't be shy" the professor encouraged. The boy didn't move, so from her place behind him, Chloe leant forwards and gave him a shove that he needed for his feet to move, knowing his body would carry on once it started. Before the boy knew it he was in front of the professor who was smiling. Lupin found himself smiling not only at the boy but also at the girl's force of encouragement.

"So Neville, what frightens you most of all?" he asked kindly. At first, the boy just mumbled something under his breath "Sorry?" the professor asked so that the boy would repeat his answer.

"Professor Snape" Neville said clearer. There was a giggle though the room, but Chloe just frowned. She knew how much the boy didn't like the professor, hadn't since that first potions class when they had been paired together and he had been nervous about messing up. Strangely she wondered if the said professor would end up pairing her and Neville up again this year, knowing that he preferred that they didn't ruin His caldrons even if it meant keeping the same students paired together. Too bad he still hadn't found a partner to stop Seamus from doing the same.

"Professor Snape" Professor Lupin repeated back to the boy, drawing Chloe out of her inner musing. "Yes, he frightens us all" Chloe didn't miss the smirk that seemed to come with the statement. "You live with your grandmother" he continued to questions.

"Yes, though I don't want it to turn into her, either" Neville spoke up again.

"No, it won't" the professor stated with a pause. "Now, I want you to picture her clothes, but only her clothes, very clearly, in your mind" he said with a supportive smile. Neville nodded and closed his eyes, be began to describe them but the professor quickly cut him off. "We don't need to hear, as long as you see it, we'll see it" he explained as he moved to stand level with the boy. "Now, when I open that wardrobe, here's what I want you to do" and with that, he said something only Neville could hear, once it was said he pulled back to look at the boy.

"Can you do that?" Neville nodded his head before looking forward. "Good, wand at the ready" the professor said as they both drew their wands from the respected pockets. The processor then started to count don before unlocking the door. With a twist of its handle, the door swung open. Out of the wardrobe, a spitting image of Professor Snape appeared. His robes the same, his posture the same, his gait the same. He was giving the boy a disapproving look, down his nose as he walked confidently closer. Neville seemed to be shocked into fear and still as a statue.

"Think, Neville, think" Lupin encouraged from behind him. The words seemed to bring the boy back to the present and he began to move into action.

"Riddikulus!" he cast with a flick of his wand. Suddenly the image of Snape was no longer dressed in his terrifying robes, instead now in green woman's clothing, red handbag on his arm and a large dark hat on his head with what looked to be a stuffed bird of prey attached to it. The room filled with just the laughter the Professor Lupin had aimed for. The image was silly and just as ridiculous as he was aiming for students to get to. Chloe remembered Neville's grandmother from when she had met her on the station platform. It honest thinking the outfit wasn't that far a stretch.

"Wonderful, Neville, Incredible! Okay, to the back, Neville" he said to the boy before turning his attention to the rest of the class. "Everyone, form a line, Form a line! I want everyone to picture the thing they fear the very most and turn it into something funny, just like Neville had done" he spoke while he walked over to his gramophone. Moving the needle onto the vinyl music started to fill the large room.

Eve had made to be at the front of the line. Her wand was drawn and a determined look was on her face. This was the one class she rose above the rest in. she loved and excelled in the class and she was determined to rise and excel in it again this year, starting with the boggart. As she stepped forward with a nod from the professor the image of the boggart became distorted and changed form.

Eve waited for the image to clear for it to take the form of the only form she could have feared. A large spider, the size of a medium dog was before her, body close to the ground, Legs covered in hair that moved as he slowly started to move closer. Before Lupin could say anything she acted.

"Riddikulus!" she cast just as the spider started to lunge forward. The spell caused the figure to change shape and grow, the image of a sider changed into a large pink bunny rabbit with a goofy green and blue striped bow before an animated voice started to sing from it. The room filled with laughter again.

"Great, excellent work Miss Overton, spot on" the professor complimented as Eve proudly tucked away her wand. Next up was Ron. "Concentrate, Mr Weasley" Lupin spoke as the boggart changed forms. "Face your fear, be brave!" he cheered as the image turned into another spider though his one was larger and with much thinner, longer legs. Ron look petrified but took a deep breath all the same.

"Riddikulus!" with that the spider boggart was suddenly wearing roller stakes and struggling to stay up-right. Its legs moving to spread out lose its balance. More laughter appeared and Ron began to get his colour back into his cheeks.

"Yes! Very good, very good! Marvellous! Very enjoyable!" Lupin exclaimed, waving for the boy to head to the back with Eve and Neville. As he walked past he gave Harry a low high five. Chloe smiled at the action and turned to the glasses boy behind her.

"Want to go in front?" she asked. Not really looking forward to exposing her fear, not even sure which it would be at this point.

"Not bloody likely" Harry said with a laugh causing the girl to do the same.

"Was worth a try" Chloe replied with a smirk.

"You'll be fine, I'm sure the professor will jump in if you need it, don't think you'll need it though" Harry said brightly. Chloe just smiled and shook her head, turning back to see Rhiannon give Madam Hooch a gives a flowery apron with bad makeup and ladle instead of a broom.

"Well done Miss Darling, to the back, next! Step up, step up!" Lupin said over the laughter. Now it was Chloe and she was so unsure. Her wand was already out and she was walking towards the creature. It took a moment for the image to change but when it did, even Chloe was shocked at what had formed. Of all the things that she could have been afraid of at that moment, her image had turned into an almost mirror image of her if you looked close enough to see the similarities, though there were enough differences. For one this copy had no glasses.

The copy's hair was straight, dull and dark black in colour, its complexion pale. Its robes weren't red and gold of Gryffindor, instead they were silver and green. They were Slytherin house robes. But that was not worst of all, on the hands of the boggart was dripping blood. Chloe wasn't dumb, she knew what really the fear in this image was. It was the image of herself that she feared, that if her father had done the things he had been accused of, then would she have turned out like that. Should she have been in Slytherin, the traditional house for the Black's family in Hogwarts?

Chloe tried to not think about it too much. She did cast a quick glace to Lupin, he seemed to be analysing it just as much as she had been. Saying nothing to speed her up or move to interfere. She was grateful for that. This was her fear, something she would have to sort out with that determined thought she drew her wand up.

"Riddikulus!" suddenly Chloe's mirror image turned from a mirror copy to a large mouse. Black hair turned and grew to be the mouse's black fur. Green robes turned from robes into two bows. One sat between the mouse's ears and one on its tail end. The large creature was up on its hind legs and started to move as if it was in a ballet.

"Good, well done Chloe, Wonderful, wonderful!" Lupin called over. There were giggles at the image but Chloe didn't laugh the image from before still clear in her head. After Chloe, it had been Harry's turn. Eve and Rhiannon were too busy with Chloe to really pay attention. The girl was shaken, a fear that hadn't even crossed her mind had just been put on display for all it sees. The two friends didn't ask the girl anything. Rhiannon just wrapped her up in a hug while Eve just put her hand on the top of Chloe's. Chloe happily accepted the support and barely heard as their professor called an end to the class.

"That's enough for today, collect your books from the back and we will call the lesson to end" there were groans and complaints all around but the Professor held firm. "Thank you! Sorry! Sorry, you can have too much of a good thing" he explained ushering them all out of the room. They all started to gather the belongings no doubt to hang around or go to the library in their now free time. Chloe gave Rhiannon and Eve a nod as they got their stuff and the two left out the door but Chloe stayed where she was a waited.

"Chloe? A question I can help you with?" Professor Lupin addressed the girl that had not left the room yet. If he was honest he was surprised that it was just her that had stayed, if anyone would have had questions he would have thought it would have been Harry, but the boy had left with his friends.

"Only a few questions professor, if you don't have another class right away" Chloe answered. She was nervous, but the Gryffindor inside her was strong and she held her grip on her bag strap tight.

"Well I have a few minutes now, but I'm sure you will want to get to your next one…" the professor said, trying to bring humour to what seemed to be a tense moment.

"I don't plan to miss my next class professor, I wouldn't want to miss my first advanced transfiguration lesson, I don't think Professor McGonagall would be too impressed been as she worked so hard to get moved up this year" Chloe replied politely.

"Good, very good" Lupin said as he moved to where the girl stood. "Shall we go to my office then?" he asked, sensing that the question was going to be on a private matter. He had no idea what it could be on, from what he could gather, the girl didn't know about his secret or her own, but then the subject wasn't something brought up at the professor's dinner table.

"No, here will be fine" she declined. "As I said it's only a few questions" she repeated.

"Okay" he said before moving from the girl to his desk behind the cabinet holding the boggart. Chloe followed as the desks that had been stacked at the side of the room started to float back into their rows. The cabinet it's self-started to shrink and morph.

Its shape was now a small wooden chest, a large iron latch keeping it closed and a large padlock snapping in place to keep it locked. Chloe was impressed by the magic and would have asked about it, if not for the more pressing information she wanted from the man that had now sat at his desk where she now stood in front of, grip still tight on her bag strap.

"So, what can I do for you, Chloe?" Lupin asked, sat back in his chair as the chest settled itself on the edge of the desk, ready for him to put away once the talk was over.

"Professor, forgive me if I am wrong in this assumption first of all" Chloe started, making sure she stayed polite. The man was still her professor, in a subject she greatly respected. "Is the reason that you look so often to Harry because you were one of the Hogwarts infamous marauders?" she just came out and asked, deciding to be direct. Lupin blinked in shock.

"Excuse me?" he asked quietly.

"Were you in the infamous Marauders prankers with James Potter when you attended Hogwarts?" she rephrased the question. Lupin just blinked again.

"How did you…?" the professor questioned.

"The headmaster was the first to tell me of them" Chloe answered his unfinished question, realising that he wasn't going to finish it himself. "You were one of them, weren't you?" this seemed to bring him out of his shock.

"So you know?" he asked but just Chloe shrugged.

"Being taken away from my…parents at just passed 1 in the morning, the same day as mass murderer escapes prison, it's a big hint that something isn't right?" Chloe said with another shrug of her shoulders, pausing at the word parents, unsure how she felt about that word. Lupin took in her words, thinking them over in her head, thinking over the last two days.

On the train, why McGonagall was escorting a student onto the train, why the Dementors were after the girl, why she looked so much like her mother. He had been right. This was without a doubt Sirius daughter, he had dropped her off with the muggles he had scouted; the Perths. And she knew.

The girl knew about her real father, she had done research into the man, so much so that she knew the group of friends that he was in when he was at Hogwarts. This girl was clever and thorough.

"Yes, I was one of them" Lupin said. "As was your father" he stated, judging her reaction.

"So I've been told" Chloe said calmly. "Though I imagine talking about my father will not be as a pleasant subject for you as it would have been if Harry had been the one to ask you" Chloe stated. Lupin gave the girl a sad look.

"I have many fond memories of both these men, but I lost them at the same time in my life" the professor said sadly. "One was taken away with his wife from me and their son while the other…" he wasn't sure how to phase it, but Chloe had an idea how.

"While the other was a traitor and was taken away from you and his daughter by the crimes he committed in war" she stated clearly. Lupin was again surprised by how much the girl really knew. "As I said, I only had a few questions for you professor, you've answered enough for the day" and with that she turned around, ready to walk of the classroom with calm, steady footsteps.

"I wouldn't look too much in my direction anymore professor" she called as she reached the large doorway, before turning back to him, still in shock behind his desk.

"Harry is easy to explain away, but no one but a select few would understand your interest in me" she stated calmly. "Professor McGonagall has told me I cannot tell people about my heritage, I'm sure that will also go for you if you asked her" and with that she exited the room, leaving the man to his thoughts.

The most prominent was 'she is so much like her mother' while the second was 'I need to speak to McGonagall'.

* * *

Please leave a review if you've got a comment you want to share.

Original Plot belongs to JKRoweling

-MSW-


	9. Seat

Once Chloe was out of the defence class room, Eve and Rhiannon greeted her. They still had 20 minutes until the next class so had decided to sit in the courtyard and talk about her talk with the professor. The girls weren't too surprised by the reaction their friend had gotten and they didn't really know what would be the next move with the information.

Chloe also didn't know. She had desperately wanted to ask the man about whom her father had really been. As his friend she expected him to give her something positive from finding out that she was adopted. But since she had found out all she has found was that it was a burden she had to keep a secret from the world. Her world had been turned upside down because of the news and what it meant. However, what Hagrid had confided to her head of house last year was still in her head.

– X – Flashback – X –

 _"I spoke to 'im professor, I spoke to 'I'm while I was in Azkaban, I'm telling ya he was in the cell across from me and he was asking about her, he told me what happened all those years ago" he continued._

 _"Please Hagrid I have no time for riddles, Miss Perth will be here soon for her session"_

 _"But that's what I'm trying to explain Professor, I know Chloe ant a Perth, she's a Black, she's Sirius Black's child" Hagrid said bluntly. "He told while I was in Azkaban" he explained._

 _"I don't know what had compelled you to believe these lies of a mad man who had been locked up for the last twelve years" McGonagall said harshly. "But I can assure you that it is-" she was cut off._

 _"Professor please don't lie to me, I know what he said true, there was no lie in the man's eye, there was no deceit when I gave him the muggle bookmark picture of me, Harry and her-" Hagrid protested._

 _"You did WHAT!" the professor exclaimed. "You gave a convicted criminal, a murderer a picture of not only the son of the two people he had killed but Chloe as well, are you mad" she exclaimed._

 _"But professor he hadn't seen her since he gave her to her muggle parents, I thought it was something he deserved to know" Hagrid tried to explain._

 _"Hagrid I cannot believe you have just done such an idiotic thing, what were you thinking!" she exclaimed. "Now not only does he know what Harry looks like but you have also put young Miss Perth in danger as well!" she continued._

 _"But professor-"_

 _"Do you now realise that if that man gets out of the hell he is in he now knows what the people he will come after look like, meaning it will be easier for him to find them" she explained. "He used you Hagrid and no doubt you told him all he needed to know about those two poor students" she said furiously._

 _"But professor he told me that it wasn't him responsible for the Potters, it was Peter Pettigrew" Hagrid tried to explain._

 _"Nonsense, now I won't hear any more of this and I would prefer if you would not tell either Harry or Chloe about any of this, it would only upset Harry and confuse poor_ _ **Miss Perth**_ _" the professor said with emphasis of Chloe's surname._

– X – Flashback End – X –

The gentle giant seemed determined that her father hadn't been the one to kill. Hagrid had said it was someone different; Peter Pettigrew. However, that had also been one of her father's friends, as well as the man that Sirius Black was charged with murdering.

Something just didn't seem to fit into place and Chloe had been hoping to ask their new defence professor about the man, to try and but the pieces together. But it seemed like that would be a puzzle for another time, as the twins would deem.

"Perth!" one of them called from the walkway.

"Chloe!" the other yelled at the same time.

"Come on slow gnome" one twin called as they and Lee walked towards the three on their bench.

"Time for your first real transfiguration lesson" now they were behind the blond haired girl with glasses, while Lee stood in front, just in front of Rhiannon.

"You do realise I have done a transfiguration before right" Chloe said back with a roll of her eyes. Rhiannon and Eve gave small laughs at her reply. The twins grinned at this looking at each other.

"Yeah"

"But you haven't had one with us before"

"Oh, you mean I haven't had a lesson where you're trying to blame me for something in class?" Chloe counted with a raised eyebrow as she looked behind her at the twin in front of her, Fred she believed.

"But that's the fun part of the lesson" Fred told her with a smirk.

"Yeah, just ask Lee"

"Or Angelina"

"Or anyone else you've tried to blame but Professor McGonagall knows better?" Chloe teased back, an overly sweet smile on her face.

"Yes, she was the first to see the pattern"

"But now we have a new escape stone"

"Right" Chloe dragged out as she closed the book that had been in her lap as her, Eve and Rhiannon had been talking. The other two following suit. "I'll see you at lunch" she said as the three stood up.

"If you survive that long with those two" Eve commented under her breath with a smile.

"If I'm so lucky" Chloe teased back. She gave her friend's quick side hugs before walking off towards her next class, twins slightly behind either side, while Lee was just to her side. No one said anything memorable on the walk, just comments about what they thought the lesson would be on.

Once they entered the class room there was a seating plan on the board. McGonagall was not there but Chloe just went and look where she would be sat. Much to her surprise and the twins disapproval, it said that her seat for the next year would be in the middle row at the front, but she would be sat next to Adrian Pucey, a fifth year Slytherin.

Chloe didn't blink an eye at her pairing, just looked at the name and seat before moving to sit in her assigned seat. Sure it was unusual for the two houses to be sat together but it almost always happened in potions. Though sadly it was normal Seamus that was sat with a single Slytherin.

It was much against the boy's protest and the protest of Slytherin individual. Though Chloe couldn't fault them though, Seamus did have a knack for setting his potions on fire. It was a trait that he didn't seem to have grown out of in the last two years, much to the sadness of Snape's cauldrons.

As Chloe sat down, placing her book on the desk she looked up to see the twins scaring her along with Lee. She just looked at the puzzled with a shrug of her shoulders.

"What?" she asked them. "There's instructions on the board and a seating plan on that one" she said pointing to the boards respectively. "Why are you just standing there?" she asked pointedly.

"Chloe, you're seated next to you a _fifth_ year _Slytherin Boy"_ one of the twins, Fred said crossly.

"Why are you not more upset?!" George asked, though more yelled, with hands rose in the air as a dramatic gesture.

"Because it's a seat?" Chloe replied seriously, confused their actions. "I don't see the problem, Seamus is sat next to the Slytherin every year in potions" she explained.

"Yeah, but that's Seamus" Lee pointed out. Chloe gave them a confused look for another few seconds before rolling her eyes and turning back to her book, opening it up on the page that was indicated on the board.

"You're not going to ask to move?" Chloe didn't look up to see which twin had asked.

"There's no point, now just sit down and start the task, stop being big cubs" she replied calmly, as if a mother scolding/ignoring her child by not paying attention to their tantrum.

"But-"

"Now George" Chloe said firmly, unsure whether she had addressed the right twin or not. She must have done before the three just huffed childishly before Chloe heard them take their seats. She could hear muttering under their breaths but didn't pay attention.

She knew George was sat to the right where Angelina would join him when she got there. Fred was in the seat directly behind hers and Lee was in the one behind him. Professor McGonagall had made sure, they weren't sat next to each other. Though, Chloe wasn't sure that it would stop the Weasley twins.

In the next few minutes the rest of the class started to file in. first had been some of the Slytherins, one being Adrian. They too had looked at the board some letting out a laugh at the seats. Chloe heard the rustle of a shove but didn't look up from her task.

It was only when she heard/felt the chair next to her move that she looked up. There the fifth year was, his Slytherin crest standing out on his black and green robes. The boy didn't say anything as he sat down and like her, got out her book and parchment.

"Impressive with your move up" she caught him say, not loudly so that others would notice, but not whispering either. "Surprising that it was you to move up when you share the same year as Granger, aren't her scores higher than your Perth" he more stated than asked.

"Hermione's overall grades are better than mine, but some subjects we are better at than others" Chloe countered. "Plus, she gets a lot of distraction because of her friendships, whereas I've spent the last two years dong extra charm and Transfiguration sessions on weekends to get here in my third year" she quietly explained.

"Yes, her friendship with the boy who lives seems to have done that for her" Adrian seemed to tease. "So instead you, who have managed to progress with these subjects and still get on the Quidditch team so young, are joining the fifth years to sit your OWLs early" he stated.

"So it seems" Chloe replied.

"And while you're in this class you've been stuck next to me so I have to endure the glaring daggers of your boyfriend from behind us" he teased.

"Not my boyfriend" Chloe corrected. "More like protective big brothers" she explained. Adrian turned slightly to look behind them quickly before turning to look at the girl.

"Right, and I'm a Ravenclaw" he teased before turning to his parchment.

"I'm sure that's not too far from the truth for you" Chloe said, not looking up from her work. She knew that Adrian had got the wrong idea. There was no way Lee liked her like that and the Twins even less so. To them, she was just another girl that their mother had asked them to look out for. Adrian didn't get a chance to reply to her comment because the next person to come in was Angelina.

"What the hell is that _snake_ doing sitting next to MY SISTER?!"

It was going to be a long class and a long year.

* * *

Please leave a review if you've got a comment you want to share.

Original Plot belongs to JKRoweling

-MSW-


	10. Magic of Hippogriffs

After a tense lesson of transfiguration came lunch. A calming meal for the most part, until the rest of Gryffindors found out that Chloe was seated next to a _snake_ in her class. The boys of her year had protested with vigour that's it. But Chloe just pointed out that Seamus sat next to a Slytherin in their potions lessons and didn't say another word on it. The boys kept talking about it, not really including her or the others in the discussion and somehow the twins had joined it.

Chloe ignored them all and focused on the transfiguration book in front of her, partially on the chapter on self-transfiguration. Rhiannon and Eve hadn't reacted to the news either about her seating arrangement. Rhiannon had just nodded her head then turned to look down the table to see where Percy had seated himself, watching as he focused on something wrote in front of him.

Eve on the other hand was reading a muggle book she and kept in her bag, it was one Chloe had recommended to her and she was engrossed in it. By the time that lunch was over, the trio had left the boys discussion and slowly moved themselves away from the great hall out into the open air, near the direction of the bridge. When the three saw Neville, Seamus and Dean heading their way, the three picked up their books and stood to walk with them.

"Finished your witching yet?" Rhiannon asked with a teasing smirk as the six started walking across the bridge in the direction of their class.

"In my defence, I was just listening after the first 10 minutes" Neville admitted.

"Sorry we are concerned for Chloe having to sit next to an older _Slytherin_ " Dean said, almost spitting the word as if it was poison in his mouth.

"An older Slytherin _boy_ as Fred and George cleared up for us" Seamus imputed as they reached the end of the bridge. Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Why does it make a difference that I'm sat next to a guy or a girl?" Chloe questioned. "Honestly I think I lucked out get sat next to Adrian" she stated.

"Yeah, you could have got sat next to the witchy girl in that year, her name escapes me" Eve stated as they started walking down the rustic stone steps down towards Hagrid's hut. "She's always witching when I'm stuck anywhere near her when I spent time with Draco" Eve explained.

"I know the one you're talking about, the one with the straight black hair, normally has an abnormally large green stone clip in her hair, always whispering in one of her groups ear? I don't know her name though" Rhiannon confirmed to which Eve nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, that would have been you worst nightmare Chloe" Neville addressed Chloe, knowing that if that had been who she had been sat next to the girl would not have survived the class.

"Err, don't put that idea in my head, I feel like I would have swapped classes back in the first five minutes" Chloe agreed, knowing that would have been a lot worse for her then just sitting next to Adrian Pucey. Plus there was the mystery of why the boy saved her from her fall last year. Now the six were at the bottom of the steps, just in front of Hagrid's hut. Somehow Hermione and the boys had caught up with the other six Gryffindors and Hagrid was in his doorway, excitement all over his face.

"Come on, now, come closer" he called to the gathered students from all the houses. By the look of it most of the houses were their apart from most Ravenclaws and a few Slytherins who must have choose a different class. Chloe had no doubt that unfortunately that most of the student that were here were taking the class because it was Hagrid taking it which made them think it would be an easy class. It was a sad though been as there people like Hermione, Rhiannon, Eve, Neville and herself that choose the subject because of actual interest.

"Less talking, if you don't mind" Hagrid said, bring Chloe out of the sad thought. "I got a real treat for you today" he started as he started walking, students following behind. "A great lesson, so follow me" he said before the class followed him down a path in the forbidden forest. It was a clearly marked path with plenty of light showing though the tree tops. "Right, you lot" Hagrid addressed them after they walked for a few minutes

"Less chattering and form a group over there" he instructed as they got to a clearing in the forest, an area outlined with old half formed walls of stones, the odd trees sprouting from the ground. "Open your books to page 49" Hagrid said as he walked a little away. Chloe gave Eve and Rhiannon a puzzled look. They three had spoked about the book and how none of them had been able to open the book successfully since buying it in diagonally.

Even Professor McGonagall had given no direction when Chloe had asked about the books unique 'personality'. The older woman had just told her that it was a challenge that every student goes though in that class and she would not help her the easy way. Chloe had sighed dramatically but understood where the professor had come from but the three still had been unable to open it. Just as she was about to admit defeat someone beat her to it.

"Exactly how do we do that?" Draco had half complained, half demanded, to which Hagrid turned around and looked like he had asked the simplest thing.

"Just stroke the spine, of course" he stated simply before. "Goodness me" Chloe heard him mutter as he turned away to go get whatever he was for their lesson. She smiled at the expression before turning to her book. Like Hagrid instructed, she, Rhiannon and Eve stroked the spines of their books at the same time and in unison, the books made a pleasant sound, unlike the growls they had gotten from it before. The buckles came magically undone and the books loosened up enough for three to open the books to the right page. It was the noise to her left that caught her attention as well as Draco's tone.

"Don't be such a wimp, Longbottom" at the blondes taunting Chloe turned to see Neville on the ground, his book trying to bite the book. Chloe sighed before moving towards the boy.

"I'm okay, I'm okay-" the boy tried to say before the book went for him again. Chloe acted quickly and ran her hand down the spine of the book, unintentionally running her hand over Neville's hand as well but neither really registered the touch. The book quickly recognised the action and stopped its actions in a second. One second it was violent, tearing at Neville's robes, the next it was quiet in the books hand and opening slightly. Neville looked at the book amazed before turning to Chloe who was stood over him.

"Stroke the spine Neville" Chloe said before offering the larger boy a hand up.

"Yeah" he muttered as they started to walk back to the main cluster of the class that had now formed a circle. Chloe saw Rhiannon and Eve so Neville and she moved to stand by them. When she noticed it was Draco and Harry in the centre she turned to ask Eve what had happened. Before she could even ask Eve just rolled her eyes and shook her head. Chloe became more puzzled by this but was brought back to the two boys by Draco's yell.

"Dementor! Dementor!" the boy called out and Chloe looked to where he was pointing with worry. She may not have really talked about what happened on the train but that didn't mean that she didn't worry about the creatures. It seemed to happen fast but as the blonde boy called out a 'warning', Chloe turned to look but was shoved behind Neville's back within seconds. From behind the boy she could see him tense while Eve and Rhiannon had reached in their robes for their wands.

It seemed that she was not the only one that worried about the dark creatures being around her. It warmed her heart in a way that they cared enough to put themselves between it and her, but worried her as well. Hoe were they meant to protect her, when none of them knew how? The worry soon turned to anger when it became apparent that Draco had just been messing around. Harry had had the same reaction as turning and moving fearfully away from the direction but soon became angered when the creature wasn't there.

When Draco and other Slytherins laughed that their 'successful prank' and rose their hooks to 'look like a Dementor' Harry looked ready to launch at them, Chloe not too far behind him. Luckily, Neville worked as a barrier between her and the Slytherins while Hermione grabbed hold of Harry and pulled him away, pulling an unimpressed face as if to say her catchphrase of 'just grow up'. Quickly everyone's attention was brought away from the horrible prank and back to their teacher as Hagrid called out.

"Ahum, Da da-da da!" Hagrid called out to them. As everyone turned towards him, their voices grew quiet looking at the creature next to him. "Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid indicated as he gestured towards the hybrid creature not far from him. The beast was large, its head covered in glossy grey feathers, its eyes sharp and its beak prominent and stood on all four limbs. The front looked like elongated, feathered avian limbs while the back were grey fur coated equine limbs.

On the back you wouldn't really know were feathers ends and fur coat begins. There was a well-groomed equine tail of hair, as if ready to trim and create strings for violins. Though the creature was big, Chloe couldn't help but be impressed by the creature. Hagrid had been right, the creature was beautiful. It was like nothing that come out of her fantasy books. Chloe was captivated with the animal.

"Say hello to Buckbeak" Hagrid announced, throwing the animal a ferret which it caught with its beak and started eating right in front of the class.

"Hagrid, exactly what is that?" Ron asked, slightly scared by the animal if his voice was anything to go by. Chloe briefly looked around to see a lot of people had the same thought as the ginger, even Rhiannon and Eve, but Chloe didn't understand why.

"That, Ron, is a hippogriff" Hagrid stated proudly moving closer towards the class. Chloe turned to focus on what Hagrid was telling them, but kept her eyes darting Buckbeak. "First thing you wanna know is they're very proud creatures" Hagrid told them. As if by cue, the hippogriff stretched out one of his wings and began to groom the feathers of that wing with its beak, uninterested now that Hagrid's attention was no longer on him.

"They are very easily offended" Hagrid explained. "You do not want to insult a hippogriff" he stressed to them. "It may be the last thing you ever do" Hagrid said seriously, and Chloe believed him. "Now, who'd like to come and say hello?" Hagrid asked, as if on a switch he went back to being cheerful Hagrid. Chloe didn't move as Hagrid turned away to check where Buckbeak was. She could hear the others move back out, not wanting to be picked. She wasn't afraid to meet the creature so if no one else wanted to she would go first. However, her eyes still didn't leave Buckbeak.

"Ah I see we have two that wants to meet Buckbeak" Hagrid said happily. Chloe looked to the side to see Harry also hadn't moved but instead of being calm like she was he was looking around him, as if only just realising that the others had moved. "So which of you want to be first?" Hagrid asked and Chloe just gave Harry a nod in Buckbeak's direction.

"You go on first Harry, I'll go next" she said, knowing that if she went first then he wouldn't volunteer again. She could wait to meet the creature, she wasn't in a hurry. Harry, still seeming a bit confused nodded and took a step forward.

"Well done, Okay Harry come on now" Hagrid said with a wave of his arm at the boy. "Now, you have to let him make the first move, It's only polite" Hagrid started to explain and Harry followed the man's instruction to the letter.

"So, step up, Give him a nice bow". "Then you wait and see if he bows back".

"If he does, you can go and touch him, If not, Well, we'll get to that later".

"Just make your bow, Nice and low". "Keep still, Keep still"

"Well done, Harry, Well done" the bow went well so Hagrid fed the animal a ferret as a reward.

"Right, I think you can go and pat him now". "Go on, don't be shy, Nice and slow".

"Nice and slow, Slow, Not so fast, Harry". "Slow down, Harry. That's it, Nice and slow".

"Now let him come to you, slowly, now, slowly, slowly, that's it" and with that Buckbeak leaned into Harrys out stretched hand. The head, rubbed along the hand and Chloe grinned. She could tell the boy had been nervous but seemed to have sorted it out with the creature.

"Yes!" Hagrid cheered and clapped, followed closely by the class, well expect for the Slytherins.

'But you weren't brave enough to volunteer, were you' Chloe thought to herself with a smirk while she clapped.

"Well done! Well done, Harry, well done!" Hagrid clapped and then started walking towards the boy. "I think he may let you ride him now" Hagrid announced but Harry suddenly got nervous again.

"What?" he asked confused.

"Come on" Hagrid said as he picked up the much smaller boy by under his armpit, as if he was picking up a much smaller child.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Harry protested but Hagrid ignored it. It was rather comical, in a way.

"There you are, just behind the wing joint" he explained, placing Harry into position on the beast. "Now, don't pull out any of his feathers, because he won't thank you for that" he continued before walking behind, without any hesitation he gave the hippogriff a smack on its rear flank, setting him into action.

It reared back so fare that Harry had to hug his arms around the animals feathered neck. From there the beast rushed forward with long gaited strides. Once almost at the half built stone wall it stretched out its long wings and gave a powerful flap of its wings, lifting it and boy off the ground and soon out, over the trees. Chloe watched in amazement at the actions and Hagrid tracked them with his eyes until they were just out of sight.

"Right, so while Harry spends a few moment with Buckbeak let's look at some of the books facts about Hippogriffs" Hagrid addressed them. Chloe was impressed that Hagrid was balancing practical and academic teaching in his first class. She would have to remember to praise him before they headed to the next class.

"Will that be safe? Shouldn't you call Harry back?" Hermione voices, a worried look on her face. Chloe didn't know however, if it was because of her worry for Harry or her own fear of flying?

"He will be fine, I trained Buckbeak, he'll only fly just over the water of the black lake and then be back here for the next one of y'all" Hagrid reassured her, probably already knowing about the girls fear. "Now, as your book says in this chapter, Hippogriff are an avian-equine hybrid creature, but unlike what muggles think, there are some magical hybrid that are capable of breeding" Hagrid started to explains.

"Hippogriff are one of these hybrids, much like; griffins, merpeople, centaurs and many other hybrids" Hagrid explains. "Now, with hippogriffs, it can be very difficult to pair up partners, because of their proud and stubborn natures, but once paired they pair for life" he continued. "Buckbeak is only a young bachelor at this stage of his life so he isn't paired, but in a year or so Dumbledore will expect me to find him a partner, like some of the other young hippogriffs in the Hogwarts herd" he stated and then rose her hand slightly. "Eve?" he addressed her to ask her question.

"How many are in the Hogwarts herd?" Eve asked curiously.

"Good question Eve, at the moment there are about 15 hippogriff in the Hogwarts herd" Hagrid answered. "However, there are two more herds in the land of the large lands of Hogwarts but they are wild herds" he explained. "They were first recorded by Newt Scamander in his years as a Hogwarts student and are the original two herd of this territory" he stated. "The Hogwarts herd used to but much larger, with around over 40 creatures in it, but with the research Newt Scamander did into the creatures Dumbledore set about to reduce the numbers of the herd by trying to find partners for the Hogwarts herd in the wild herds" he continued.

"Mr Scamander found that once the hippogriff were domesticated, they retain the training for their life time, and if they're offspring come into contact with wizards early enough, the training becomes learnt behaviour passed from parent to offspring" he explained but then looked back to the sky. Chloe then become torn, she wanted to know more about this creature, but at the same time, she wanted to hear more about them.

"Right, lets hold it there and get Harry down and the next one of you in the air for a ride shall we" Hagrid said before letting out a whistle as a signal to the creature above. Understanding the signal Buckbeak began his descent back down to the ground and within moments the animal's talons and hooves were back on the forest floor. The class clapped (expect the Slytherins again) as the creature came to a halt near Hagrid. "Well done Harry, and well done Buckbeak" the half giant cheered as he walked towards the pair ferret close to hand for a treat for the creature.

"Oh, please" Chloe knew that tone and worry started to fill her as she turned her head. It had been Draco that had spoken. Chloe turned and could see Eve was watching him as well as he made his way through the crowd. As if knowing what was going to happen next, Eve and Chloe looked at each other, coming to a silent understanding. Eve would deal with Draco and Chloe would distract the hippogriff. Last thing they needed was for Draco to do something stupid and then him put all the blame on Buckbeak when he spoke to his father. Hagrid was still talking to Harry when Draco finally made it out the crowd.

"You're not dangerous at all, are you, you great ugly brute!" Draco announced as he walked quickly towards the creature, which was now out of reach of Hagrid and Harry.

"Malfoy, no" Hagrid called but couldn't seem to move in fear. It was his first day so Chloe wouldn't be harsh when she told him later that he really should have moved to stop the boy not stand still. Luckily Eve was now close to him and Chloe was gaining speed to get in front of him. With only just enough space Eve grabbed the back of the boy's robes, earning a slight yelp in surprise from said blond as he fell back from her strength. Buckbeak was now very agitated and starting to rear up in warning, opening his wings to look larger to the threat that he saw Draco being.

Chloe quickly got in front of the pair and bent down in a low curtesy, her head down causing her pony tail to fall over her right shoulder. One of her knees was completely bent while the other was brought behind her to the side to balance herself. Her arms were out wide to make herself seem large but at the same time small enough to seem respectful to the creature.

"Are you idiotic or just a dung sprout?!" Chloe could hear Eve say harshly to Draco as she heard the girl pulling Draco back, away from her and beast. He was still agitated but seemed to stop his rearing up and was now just making noise at her. Chloe kept her position and did not move an inch.

"How was I to know the chicken would react so wildly?!" Draco yelled to her loudly.

"I told you Malfoy, not to insult hippogriffs" Hagrid said harshly. "That was the first thing I told you about them and if it was not the first then it certainly was the second" Hagrid reprimanded. "15 points from Slytherin for such dangerous behaviour" he said seriously. Chloe followed the conversation but did not move from her spot. She didn't hear any noise now coming from Buckbeak but she could see his front talons hadn't moved from their space. She dared to look up to see Buckbeak looking down at her curiously.

She still didn't move from her position, only looked up at the animal before her. Frightened but at the same time confident. In those moments she forgot she was in class, she forgot about the other students around her, it was just her and the hippogriff. Chloe watched as the creature looked at her as if trying to figure her out. The creature then did what she hadn't expected. The proud insulted hippogriff bowed its head to her. At the gesture, Chloe slowly rose from her curtsied bowed position, keeping eye contact. Noticing the creature had calmed down Chloe moved to take a step back, but she watched surprised as the creature made to take a step forward.

"Chloe, listen to me" she heard Hagrid say. "You've got his attention and permission, you're going to have to pet him before he'll let you move away otherwise if your break eye contact without giving him praise it will be an insult" Hagrid explained and really it did make sense in her head. So Chloe shifted her weight so instead of going back she took a step forward, towards Buckbeak. She then took another slow step, and another.

Her classmates and Hagrid were watching with small breaths. Harry not moved from where he had been standing with Hagrid froze in place. Rhiannon had move closer to Dean and Neville, holding each of their hands and they holding hers as well. The whole class was quiet and waiting for it to play out. Eve had managed to get Draco back to the crowd and was holding his arm tightly, afraid that if she let him go he would go forward and be stupid putting her friend in danger, Draco however had no intention of moving.

After her fourth step Chloe stopped, she was about the same distance away Harry had been when Hagrid had told him that Buckbeak had to choose to come to him. So she held out her hand and waited. Buckbeak looked at her then her hand and moved forward. Like with Harry he moved so that she could let her hands rub along his feathers and a unison of breaths were let out.

"Well done Chloe, well done Eve, very good quick thinking" Hagrid addressed the two. "10 points to Gryffindor each for you both" he stated, before turning back towards Draco. "I will be informing the headmaster about what has happened today as well as Professor Snape to decide what to do about you endangering your own life Mr Malfoy" Hagrid said seriously.

"This is your first lesson in this course and you have already given me reason to remove you from it with your lack of disciple around living animals in which this course will be including" it was strange to hear the tone come from Hagrid but Chloe couldn't help but be prouder of her half giant friend filing his role as teacher so seriously as she absentmindedly let Buckbeak rub along her hand.

"Right, now that all that chaos has calmed down, Chloe" Hagrid addressed the girl with a smile. "Would you like to ride Buckbeak next while we continue our class?"


	11. Concern at Dinner

At dinner that night, Chloe felt much too crowed and slightly annoyed. It seemed her protecting Draco from the 'big-bad hippogriff' had spread before she even walked into the hall. People kept looking towards her and then whispering things. Slytherins would look at her then snigger, though she had a feeling that was aimed more at Draco then her, which gave her some satisfaction.

Once she had sat the tidal wave began, with Ginny Weasley. The smaller girl had hauled herself at the girl and was almost crying. The force of her weight almost knocked Chloe off the bench and on to the floor. Chloe caught the girl with one hand while the other reached out and gripped the side of the table to keep her balance. Chloe looked to her friends for help, but they shrugged.

"You're ok!" the girl almost yelled as she hugged closer to the girl.

"Um, yes, yes I am" Chloe said as she wrapped an arm around the girl. "So how was your first day of lessons?" Chloe asked nervously. But Ginny didn't get a chance to reply.

"Chloe!" Colin called as he ran and hugged her free arm. Now Chloe was very confused and looked again to Rhiannon and Eve, but again they shrugged. Colin had never hugged her, the boy blushed most of the time he spoke to her, let alone hugged her.

"Um, hi Colin, something the matter?" she asked, not sure what to do with her other arm around Ginny and him holding on to her arm tightly. Just then Neville walked by. He paused at the two second years hugging tightly to Chloe and rose an eyebrow at her.

"Everything ok Chloe?" he asked.

"I have no idea at this moment" Chloe said with a sigh. At the sigh the two second years seemed to come to their senses and released the older girl. Now there was a blush on Colin's face, but still tears in Ginny's eyes. Chloe had no idea what had happened to the two.

"So why are you two so upset-" but time did not seem on her favour today as she was cut off.

"CHLOE PERTH I CANNOT LEAVE YOU ALONE FOR 5 MINUTES!" was yelled though the hall and Chloe didn't need long to figure out who it was yelling at her as they marched down the aisle towards her. "Saving boys on brooms in first year, falling off brooms in first and second year, life threatening creatures the second year and now hippogriffs on the first day of third year" Angelina muttered the whole way though her march towards the girl. Once in front of the girl she pulled her up out of her seat before placing her hands on the smaller girl's shoulders and looked over every inch of her. Chloe was uncomfortable now, feeling like she was back in front of her mother-, in front of Anne Perth when she scraped her knee as a child.

"Honestly are you trying to beat a record for how many life threatening situations you can achieve in school? Give up, Potter will beat you, hands down with his idiotism" the older girl stated seriously. Chloe really couldn't tell if that had been a joke or not, and if it had been a joke she wasn't sure if it was at her or Harry's expense.

"I can tell you now that this has been the greatest but also the most worrying day of our sisterhood" Angelina stated seriously as she let out a sigh noticing that Chloe wasn't injured before bringing the girl into a hug. "No more worrying for the week please" Angelina begged dramatically.

"Um okay, I promise?" Chloe said unsurely.

"I don't think she meant that promise Angelina" a twin said out of nowhere.

"Yeah, don't think she plans to keep it" the other said causing Chloe to roll her eyes.

"Well it's not like I asked to be put in that situation" she said with a huff.

"But you promise Chloe?" it was now Ginny hat was asking her. The sound of the younger girl surprised Chloe a little, forgetting the two second years had been there. She turned slightly in Angelina arms to face them.

"I will try Ginny, Colin, okay?" Chloe said with a warm smile. Her words seemed to satisfy Colin and he moved to sit with the others in his years, but Ginny stayed close. Chloe turned slightly in Angelina arm's to see Eve and Rhiannon giving them a look to see if they could get her out of Angelina's arms but they just shook their heads.

'Traitors' Chloe thought to herself, then before she know what was happening Angelina pulled away slightly so she could sit on the bench but then pulled Chloe down to sit in her lap. Chloe, surprised by the girls actions turned flush with embarrassment when she realised she was now sitting in Angelina's lap at the dinner table.

"Angelina! What are you doing?!" Chloe exclaimed.

"I'm hugging my sister" Angelina stated plainly.

"Angelina, I cannot sit in your lap at the dinner table, I'm too tall for us both to eat like this" Chloe protested, but the older girl just shrugged.

"You could feed her" a twin suggested.

"Not like we would mind watching that" the other teased.

"Not helpful Fred, not appropriate George, your sister's here" Chloe said while glaring at the pair.

"Well you're staying here till dinner appears" Angelina stated firmly. Chloe rolled her eyes at the older girl's words.

"Which will be in less than 5 minutes" she countered.

"So you can sit in my lap and let me hug you for less than five minutes" Angelina replied. "Ginny sit with us, I need the little Weasley" Angelina said pulling the smaller, shocked ginger girl down beside her. "Overton, Darling sit that side but save a space for Chloe when she moves" the girl instructed.

"Longbottom, over the other side with the twins, not enough room this side, you too Thomas and Finnigan" the girl instructed and no one went against her words. For some reason they were all too scared to find out what she would do to them if they didn't do as she said. Once they were all seated where they were told, no one spoke, Angelina just played with the end of Chloe's pony tail with one hand and rubbed small circles on Ginny's back. No one asked, the girls didn't protest they just let the older girl had the comfort she was seeking after her temper earlier.

"Ahem" a voice cleared behind them and all heads turned to see it was professor McGonagall stood behind the empty space that Chloe would take in moments. Percy was just behind her to the side, close to Rhiannon but he didn't look her way. "I take it by the empty seat that this display will end when dinner arrives?" McGonagall asked. Chloe nodded sheepishly which caused the older witch to nod. "Good, i understand that Miss Johnson can be very protective of your Miss Perth, but it's not the greatest position for the two of your to eat in" the woman stated.

"I have heard from Hagrid about what transpired in the forest today" she continued. "Mr Malfoy has been served the correct punishment as he had been band from going to the Hogsmeade trip this month and will be serving detention with Professor Snape" she updated them.

"Thank you Professor" Chloe said and watched the witch walk away.


	12. Hogsmead

Friday passed quickly for Chloe. Astronomy was interesting to her. She wasn't enjoying Divination and was struggling to concentrate on anything other than Professor Trelawney always giving her a look as if she was trying to figure her out. After lunch had been double History of Magic so that had passed with Eve falling asleep like normal and Rhiannon off in her own little world. Her friend had asked Percy if he would want to go to Hogsmeade with her but he had brushed her off telling her he was too busy with his head boy duties.

If Chloe was honest she was about ready to hex the 'head boy' to get his head out of somewhere else but didn't for Rhiannon's sake. After that had been double Charms, which she had actually enjoyed. Even with the twins trying to mess with her concentration. Which had been all the while that Angelina focusing on her like if she looked away she was going to fall and break something. But now it was the weekend and like every first weekend of a month, the Hogwarts Hogsmeade weekend. It was the first trip for the third years and everyone had gathered outside the clock tower with permission slips in hand, ready to give to Mr Filch.

Harry was unable to go been as the muggles he was living with hadn't signed it. Chloe's parents-, Anne and Phillip Perth had signed it with an attached letter to Professor McGonagall. The letter said that if the professor thought it was an unsafe risk then she had permission to stop Chloe from going with SB on the loose. So with Draco un-allowed to go and Percy brushing off Rhiannon, the three girls were going as their trio plus Neville, though the boy did say he might meet with Dean and Seamus at some point in the day which the girls didn't mind at all. The group was unsure what they really wanted to do.

Yes, they wanted to go to the sweets shop and maybe the three broomsticks for lunch but after that, they had no plans. They didn't need any school supplies as they got it all before they came for the school year so they weren't running low yet. After Neville had left to meet with the boys, the three popped into the bookshop but that had only been for Rhiannon as she wanted to see if her favourite author had released her new book yet, which they had not at the time.

So after they just wandered around the town until they came to a small clearing which looked like a picnic area. The three decided to get some drinks and sit there and relax for the rest of the afternoon. Or so they had hoped.

"What is this?"

"Three third years not excitedly in a shop"

"How intriguing wouldn't you say Feorge"

"Very Gred"

"And why would this be intriguing?" Chloe asked the twins with a roll of her eyes. The twins looked at each other and then the girl before them.

"For starters, you aren't in a shop"

"And there is no way you've looked through the whole town"

"Not in only a few hours"

"It's impossible, right Gred"

"Right Feorge"

"We don't need to be in the shops the whole time we are away, there plenty of trips to see it all" Eve said stubbornly.

"And when will that be for you three?"

"No doubt next time you'll be with a Blonde boy" Fred said looking at Eve.

"And you'll be with our strict-brother" George said looking at Rhiannon.

"Which will leave Chloe to explore all by herself"

"Or stuck with the boys for the trip"

"Or Ron and Hermione"

"Or us"

"Nah she would like coming with us"

"Right, plus who's to say we'll be allowed on the next one"

"True Feorge"

"Always Gred"

"God you are annoying when you do that" Rhiannon said as she huffed and looked away from them. Chloe sighed at Rhiannon's mood. She knew it wasn't because she was actually annoyed at the twins, just that they had hit a sore nerve when they brought up Percy. Chloe looked at the twins and shook her head, telling them not to push the problem. The two looked at each other and shrugged.

"Thank you for the concern about who I will be travelling with next time" Chloe said with a smirk. "However, I'm sure if Eve or Rhiannon are busy then Neville would be more than happy to spend time with me and when he goes to be with 'the boys' as you called them, I can entertain myself" she said with a proud smirk before she finished her drink. "Now if you'll excuse us, we're going to see the Shrieking shack before we head to where ever we end up next" Chloe said, standing from the bench they had been sat at. Eve followed closely and then so did Rhiannon.

"See you around Weasleys, if not then we will at dinner" Chloe called over her shoulder as her trio walked away. Once they were far enough away Rhiannon gave out a sigh.

"How do you stand them Chloe" she asked aloud.

"Same way I stand you and Eve" she said with a smirk causing the two to pause in their movements and look at her. "I don't really stand you" she said confidently. "I accept you because you are my friends" she explained with a proud smile.

* * *

Please leave a review if you've got a comment you want to share.

Original Plot belongs to JKRoweling

-MSW-


	13. Tea and Conversations

It was now the third week into the term. Classes were going well, Chloe was keeping up with her advanced lessons as well as still going to extra sessions at the weekend, though now Rhiannon was with her a lot more for her visits to Hagrid's. Much like this Sunday.

"Thank you for the Tea Hagrid" Rhiannon thanked taking the second cup from the man who smiled.

"You're very welcome Rhiannon" Hagrid replied, before passing the next cup to Chloe who smiled in thanks. "So what do you think about the lesson plan?" he asked them like he did each week.

"Seems well thought out, and you're going to stay top of your game?" Chloe asked with a raised eyebrow. It was teasing of course because since the first lesson with the Draco-Hippogriff incident Hagrid had been all about the seriousness of student safety. The lessons were still fun and well balanced but he was sharper at spotting when someone was in danger.

"Yep, the Mokes shouldn't give us any trouble, and with their size, you should be able to handle them in groups of three" Hagrid explained with a proud smile. Chloe smiled back at the man, proud of the risks he was looking at again and double checking. Since the hippogriffs, the class only worked with smaller beasts, more manageable ones. He confessed to her he may have got a bit excited being his first day and should have left hippogriffs till later one in the year and Chloe could agree with him.

She had been amazed by the creature and its grace but there was no denying the danger it could be too uneducated students. They had been lucky when Lucius Malfoy had found out what almost happened to his son he was furious. The man had tried to go to the ministry and get the hippogriff executed as well as Hagrid sacked from the position.

But when Dumbledore was asked to represent the questioned parties in court, the case was thrown out because of Draco's provoking actions towards the creature after being warned against it. To say that Mr Malfoy had been embarrassed and enraged was one way to put it, or so Eve had told her.

"Now, I think there is something on your mind little Miss Darling that is not what you will see in class this week" Hagrid said with a sad smile. "I love having company, and you three girls are the best I get aside from Harry every now and then" he continued. "But I could tell the moment you walked in here, something has upset you" he said, looking right at Rhiannon, who was looking down at her tea. "And such a cheerful girl shouldn't be this upset" he said softly. Chloe was looking towards her as well. Sure this wasn't the first Sunday Rhiannon had tagged along but even she had noticed the sour in Rhiannon's cheerfulness of late. Rhiannon gave a sigh.

"I had asked Percy if he would like to go on a walk this afternoon, but he was too busy again" she said quietly. "I get that being head boy can be stressful and busy, I knew that before the year had started" she went on. "But it seems like he just keeps standing up plans that we used to have last year, even when I try to work it around his duties" she continued. Now it was Chloe's turn to give a sad sigh.

"So it's not to do with the boys constant comments on how pretty Clearwater is?" Chloe asked to the point, already having an idea what was actually going through the girls head.

"The head girl?" Hagrid asked and Chloe nodded in confirmation. Rhiannon had to still look up from her tea. "I see, so Miss Clearwater is pretty and you're worried that Percy likes her more than you?" He asked and Rhiannon gave a shrug. "I see, well Miss Darling I have some advice for you" he said causing her to look at him, with hopeful eyes. "Come here" he said with a wave of his hand. Rhiannon gave Chloe her mug before walking over to stand in front of the man and he took one of her hands in his, much like they had heard him do with Hermione last year when she got upset by Draco's 'Mudblood' comments.

"You ask him" he said simply and Rhiannon was shocked. "At times like this it is best to ask honest questions for honest answers" he advised and Rhiannon got sad again.

"But what if he thinks it's immature to be worried about something like that?" she questioned.

"Then he really doesn't understand you if he cannot see what his actions are doing to your bright cheerfulness" Hagrid said plainly, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

"I'll think about it" Rhiannon said and Hagrid gave her hand another pat for courage.

"That's all I ask"

X – X – X – X

After tea at Hagrid's Rhiannon when off towards the common room, something about a letter home to her mum, while Chloe headed off towards the Transfiguration classroom for her session with McGonagall. This was an important session because there was something that Chloe wanted to ask her in the session. As she walked up the corridor towards the classroom, she clenched her bag strap to give her something to hold on to. She needed courage for this, she needed an anchor. There was already so much this witch had done for her and now she was going to ask something that could very well be dangerous. Before she even had a chance to knock on the door to the classroom she was welcomed in.

"Come in Miss Perth" the Professor called from her desk where she was looking through papers of parchment. Chloe walked into the room and placed her bag on the desk at the front. "Today we will-" McGonagall began to instruct, not taking her eyes off the paper in front of her.

"I was wondering professor about starting a project" Chloe interrupted before she could finish. McGonagall paused, startled by her student's words.

"A project?" the professor repeated as she slowly placed the papers on her desk to give the girl her full attention. Chloe swallowed, there was no turning back now.

"Yes Professor, a transfiguration project" she stated. McGonagall looked over the girl and saw she was nervous. If it was just a transfiguration project then why would the girl be nervous? She had made it clear to Chloe if there was an area of their sessions she wanted to work more in-depth on then all she had to do was ask, why would asking now to do so cause her to be nervous? Unless…

"You want to become an Animagus" she stated plainly. Chloe nodded her head. "Miss Perth that magic is far too complex for a third-year student-"

"But you achieved it in your third-year Professor" Chloe interrupted again. This was not just a wishful whim. She had researched into it and looked at the Animagus registry before even thinking about this. "My Father achieved it in his _second_ year" she stressed.

"And he did so without a professor to supervise him, if he had come to me I would have told him and his two friends they were also too young" Professor McGonagall defended. "The rules were different when I was a student, the rules have changed for the better" she further explained. "I know people that have attempted this magic and been left scarred and deformed because they attempted it too young and too inexperienced" McGonagall continued. "That magic is too advanced"

"But you've said yourself that I'm a quick study in transfiguration, almost as quickly as you had been" Chloe argued. "I'm not saying I want to do the transformation today, I'm not even talking about performing it this side of Christmas professor, I'm just asking for this to be the goal of our extra sessions this year" Chloe explained.

"I'm already caught up with the fifth years and learning alongside them at the same rate as them, I no longer need the sessions to move up a year" Chloe pointed out. "So I'm asking that for our extra sessions you help me with the Animagus transformation, similar spells that would lead to the same concentration I would need for the transfiguration" Chloe said, trying to show what she meant. "All I'm asking for Professor is the chance to learn about the transformation, the theories behind it, and the techniques behind it" Chloe stated.

"If you say no, then I will understand and I will leave it for another time, but this is something I'm interested in and have been looking up in my spare time since the beginning of the year" she explained. Her words were moving and McGonagall could see the passion in her eyes about it. She had encouraged the girl to follow her interests in the subject, encouraged her to speak up about things she wanted to explore more. How could she fault the girl for doing exactly as she had told her too? The professor gave a sigh and closed her eyes.

"You will not attempt the spell until I say you are ready? If I say no then you won't do so behind my back without my permission?" she asked, needing to hear the girls answer before deciding.

"I wouldn't do that to you Professor, I respect you too much to do that to you and your trust" Chloe replied, seriousness in all of her words. McGonagall gave another sigh and rose from her chair, opened her eyes and looked straight at the girl.

"Very well"

* * *

Please leave a review if you've got a comment you want to share.

Original Plot belongs to JKRoweling

-MSW-


	14. Cause for Concern

In was now the Wednesday before the next Hogsmeade trip, the second of the term. It was lunchtime, everyone had just come from Herbology where they were tending to their Moly plants that were close to blooming. Most third years would then be going to Charms while Chloe would head over to transfiguration with the fifth years.

"I'm telling you Hermione, Professor Trelawney is crazy, all she needs is a black cat and any muggle would believe she was a real witch" Ron was telling Hermione across the table to the girl trio.

"Honestly Ron, Muggles no longer think like that, they would just think she was a bit…" Hermione paused trying to find the right word.

"Batty? Which she is" Harry imputed with a smirk the other side of the girl. She had sat in between them because they were meant to be getting on with work while they had lunch, but as normal not much seemed to be getting done.

"No Harry, that's _not_ the word I was looking for" Hermione said with a huff.

"Absent-minded?" Eve stated from where she was sat looking over her charms homework, they'd finished it last night but never hurt to double check.

"Yes! She's a bit absent-minded, thank you Eve" Hermione cheered in success.

"That's more than one word" Ron pointed out.

"And I never said I was looking for one word" Hermione defended, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. "You spelt that wrong by the way, E R, not O R" she nodded to the word he just wrote.

"Bloody hell" Ron muttered as he took out his wand to erase the indicated word.

"He's been sighted! He's been sighted!" Seamus startled everyone out of what they were doing.

"Bloody Hell" Ron muttered after being startled so much he knocked over his inkpot as he had dipped his quill. Seamus exclaimed as he rushed down the aisle towards the third year groups, Daily Prophet waving in his hand.

"Who?" Dean asked the boy as he pushed to the place beside Harry.

"Sirius Black!" Seamus practically yelled causing all that were round to now crowd. Chloe stiffened at the words and focused on Hermione who had taken the paper from Seamus.

"Dufftown?!" she stated clearly before looking up towards the crowd. "That's not far from here" Chloe's vines turned to ice at her words. Eve and Rhiannon noticed her stiffness and took hold of her hands in comfort. It was one thing to know the man was out there, it was another to know he was so close to where she and Harry were.

"You don't think he'd come to Hogwarts, do you?" Neville asked, probably as nervous as Chloe felt.

"With Dementors at every entrance?" Dean asked him as if he was stupid.

"Dementors? He slipped past them once" Seamus said in Neville's defence. "Who's to say he won't do it again?" he pointed out.

"That's right, Black could be anywhere" the fourth year, Samuel Brook, spoke out from his seat just passed Rhiannon at the table. His words caught the crowd's attention. "It's like trying to catch smoke" he said dramatically, so much so that Chloe wanted to roll her eyes.

'He's a man, not a spirit' she thought bitterly as she watched the crowd eat up what Samuel was saying.

"Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands" he said dramatically again. Chloe had enough and packed up her things. The crowd watched her puzzled, even Rhiannon and Eve seemed confused.

"Where are you going?" Ron said, almost demanding and Chloe want in the mood.

"To see my owl before class, I don't believe in the boogie man and I'm certain that" she paused. It was still weird to say his name. It was still weird the feelings that came with the name to her. "Sirius Black is not some spirit that turns to smoke" she stated harshly before moving out of the circle of the crowd around her and walked out of the great hall.

She needed air. She needed space. She needed to think. She needed to get to Hoot and calm down.

x – x – x – x

No one questions her in Transfiguration when she arrived. Though she had no doubt that the whole hall had noticed her exit, Adrian Pucey didn't mention in when she sat next to him. The twins didn't tease her at all and everyone seemed to let her be. The same happened in Herbology, though Professor Sprout did notice that something had angered the girl between the two classes. The professor commented on the fact that the Spiky Bush she was meant to be trimming was near becoming almost too small to recover.

Lastly was Defence in which was a simple class of understanding the theory of the defensive shield spell; Protego. They didn't practice the charm but was told they would the next morning in class so they had the evening to read as much as they could about it. Once the class was dismissed Professor Lupin called for Chloe to stay behind.

Chloe was not unsurprised at this. She hadn't interacted with the class and when he had called for her to answer a question she had told him she didn't know, which had been a complete lie. Eve jumped in with an answer from the desk beside her and Neville but it was clear that the professor was confused by Chloe's reaction.

"Now Miss Perth, is there something that has upset you?" the professor said as he leans against the chair to the desk that was in front of hers. Chloe sighed and gave a shrug.

"I don't know Professor" Chloe said honestly. "I don't know if its anger or frustration or fear" she spoke, crossing her arms and placing her forehead on her arms in defeat.

"Right and your displayed behaviour in the Great Hall at lunch?" Lupin stated, not changing his calm tone as he spoke.

"Guess everyone saw that, huh" Chloe muttered, bringing herself upright and running a hand over her face, pushing up her glasses as she did so.

"Hard to miss, even for us professors concerned about you and your safety" he replied. "So what really got to so upset, you stormed out of the Great hall" he asked. Chloe gave another frustrated sigh.

"Samuel Brook described Dementors catching him was like catching smoke dramatically" she explained.

"Okay" the professor said as he nodded for her to go on.

"But it's not like that, he's a man, a physical man, a body that can be caught" Chloe explained. "He's something they can get hold of, a person they can trap" she continued but seem to pause and Lupin seemed to see where she was going.

"So why haven't they?" he aided her.

"Yes and no" she answered. "Yes, why haven't they caught him yet but also, No I don't want them to" she explained. At her answer, Lupin looked like he wanted to object. "I know it sounds crazy but is it so bad that I want to meet the man that is my biological father?" Chloe asked honestly. "Before this summer I find out that my parents aren't my biological parents and Hagrid believes the man that is my father is innocent of a crime because I overhear a conversation he had with McGonagall" she starts.

"I'm then taken from those parents because he breaks out of prison and the headmaster thinks that I'm in danger of being his target" she went on. "From there I'm put on the Hogwarts express by Professor McGonagall because of the same threat, the same train you are on because of Dumbledore's request" she explained.

"While on the train you save me and Harry from a Dementor attack that was all because of Harry's horrible childhood and me because I'm the child of the murder they are hunting" she continues. "However, when I'm looking into him and his time in Hogwarts, when I ask you about knowing him you say you have 'fond memories' with him, all things that are good, positive things" she states looking directly at the professor now.

"How am I not meant to want to meet the man that's my father, but the only way to do that is dangerous, reckless and stupid?" she asks. "All because when he is caught I won't be able to visit him because hardly anyone knows I'm his child and I'll never know his side of the story, the side he told Hagrid, the side that says he's innocent" Chloe asks honestly, needing someone to make sense of the confusion in her head.

To say Remus Lupin was shocked by the confession just given to him was an understatement. He didn't know what to think. He didn't know what to say. It broke his heart that the girl in front of him was feeling this. That his year old student was this confused about something that was really beyond his years. That it gave him cause for concern because the sweet girl before him want to meet a man he wouldn't recognise anymore.

x – x – x - x

After not really getting answers in defence against the dark arts Chloe headed to dinner where she sat with Eve and Rhiannon and didn't say much that was until Professor McGonagall approached the Gryffindor table. Specifically where Chloe was sat.

"Miss Perth" she addressed the girl. Chloe looked up the professor blankly, giving the witch her attention. "I realise you wanted to do extra transfiguration sessions this weekend" she stated calmly. "You realise that if you wish this to happen you will not be able to attend the Hogsmeade weekend with the other students?" Chloe looked at the professor, understanding the meaning behind the words.

Her parents-, Anne and Phillip Perth had given Professor McGonagall total control over which weekends she could go on. The professor was telling her that she wouldn't be going on this one, not with Sirius Black being spotted not far from Hogsmeade.

"Of course professor, I understand" Chloe responded politely, though the people around looked at her puzzled, expect for Rhiannon and Eve. "I would still like to go ahead with the sessions if your schedule fit it" Chloe replied.

"Of course Miss Perth, I will see you Saturday" and with that and a swish of her long velvet green and black robes the professor made her way up to the teacher table to her place beside Dumbledore, where anxious Professor Lupin was waiting to talk to her.

* * *

Please leave a review if you've got a comment you want to share.

Original Plot belongs to JKRoweling

-MSW-


	15. Skipped Hogsmeade Trip

As she promised Chloe skipped the Hogsmeade trip, instead she slept in and then got ready for her extra, _extra_ session with McGonagall. She had biscuits that Whisk the Hogwart's house elf had brought up to her room without her having to ask. Then dressed in a comfortable pair of jeans, black & white lace-ups and a red sweater. They were comfortable and well-worn so they were prefect for loose movements for spell casting for whichever spell her professor had set up for the say.

Happy with her clothing choice she walked out of the dorm, out of Gryffindor tower which only had a few first and Second years sat by the fire with homework in front of them. Once out on the moving staircase, she headed in the direction of the transfiguration classrooms. Though apparently, the twins had been right on the last trip when they said they wouldn't have permission to go. Just as she was about to leave the tall cuboid shape staircase tower, her name was called out from just above her.

"Hey Perth!" Chloe looked up to see the two ginger-haired twins came rushing down the stairs on their long legs.

"Thought you'd be on the trip today" the other said with a smile as the two got closer to her.

"What? Didn't want to be a third or fifth wheel?"

"We know how that feels"

"Well we don't really"

"But Lee says he sometimes feels like that when around us"

"Which is not the same thing"

"Totally, being the third wheel on a date"

"And being the third wheel to twins?"

"So not the same thing"

"Really, I always saw Lee as more your unofficial triplet rather than an extra" Chloe said sickly sweetly as she started back in the direction she was going. "Now when your two starts dating, that's when you two will find out what being a third wheel will feel like" Chloe teased honestly.

"Or she will"

"Yeah, apart from you and Angelina"

"No one would understand our sacred twin bond"

"Not even sure our mum understands it"

"And her brothers were twins"

"And I guess that's why the Weasleys have a pair of twins" Chloe said with a smile.

"No, that because after Charlie, Mum wanted a girl"

"So they ended up with Percy"

"The amazing us"

"The dense Ronald"

"And then finally with a girl"

"Sweet little Ginevra"

"And this is where this little get-together ends" Chloe said with a smirk as they ended up in front of McGonagall's classroom. The twins looked to each other and then to her.

"You're doing another session?"

"Don't you do those on a Sunday?"

"Normally yes, but I've got an extra one today" Chloe said with a smile. "It was the reason why I couldn't go today" she explained.

"You gave up the trip-"

"For an extra, _extra_ session of transfiguration"

"Yep" and with that Chloe walked into the classroom before the twins could delay her any more than they had. As she walked in Chloe saw that McGonagall wasn't sat at her desk like normal. Instead she was stood in front of it, her arms tucked in her long sleeves. It was like she had been waiting for her. When she spotted her she started walking towards her.

"Good Morning Professor" Chloe greeted the woman as she got closer, now level with her.

"Miss Perth, follow me" the professor said before she left the room. "Don't you have detentions to be attending Mr Weasleys?" she asked them as she walked out into the hall where the Weasleys twins were still lingering, Chloe not far behind her.

"Not till this afternoon Professor" Fred said with his most charming smile.

"I see" McGonagall said with a quirk of her eyebrow, visible though her spectacles. "This way Miss Perth" she instructed before turning down the corridor in the opposite direction to the staircases. The twins gave Chloe a puzzled look but Chloe just replied with a shrug of her shoulders and followed.

The twins seemed to know not to follow behind and distract Chloe as she and McGonagall walked away. They walked for a few moments and Chloe didn't say anything, she was trying to figure out what they were going to do if they were out of the classroom. It was only when she recognised the courtyard with First year's enjoying that she realised that they were heading towards the headmaster's office.

"Um, Professor?" Chloe started to voice. "Are we not doing transfiguration today?" she asked.

"We are almost there Miss Perth, the headmaster would like a word with you" McGonagall stated as they came to stand in front of the upright bird statue. "Bar-Six" she spoke, much like the first time Chloe was stood there earlier that summer. The stairs started to appear. McGonagall stepped out onto the nearest step to her and Chloe followed her example. Once the stairs rose and twisted the headmaster's office door the two witches stepped out and walked up to the door.

"Enter Ladies" the two heard Dumbledore called though the door. The Professor opened the door and Chloe was surprised about the other side. Instead of like before there was a table set up with four settings in the middle of the office. The table seemed like it was spread ready for afternoon tea and Coffee. Sat at the table was headmaster Dumbledore, Fawkes perch moved to beside him while sat to his left was Professor Lupin. Chloe was surprised at this, last time she was in the office it had just been Dumbledore and herself, now she had two more Professors. It made her nervous.

"Ah Minerva, young Miss Perth, please join Remus and I" he said, gesturing to the two free seats.

"First names?" the witch asked, moving to take the free seat to Dumbledore's right, who shrugged.

"Well, this is an adult conversation, I wanted Miss Perth to feel on our level to have an honest conversation" he stated. Chloe slowly moved forward to the empty place between Professor McGonagall and Professor Lupin, the same seat that was across from the headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Now Miss Perth" the man said, bring her attention away from the scene before and solely on him. "Professor Lupin came to us earlier this week and told us that you're having some very serious thoughts and doubts" he explained.

"Maybe Professor" Chloe replied as she accepted a cup from Minerva McGonagall, tea already pour into in with some milk. The two living together had meant that the two learnt simple things about each other as well as things like how they each took their tea. "It had been a very frustrating day" she tried to defend but Dumbledore raised his hand to pause her.

"I saw the frustration you were struggling with, most saw how you left the hall after Mr Finnigan yelled about the sighting near Dufftown" the headmaster stated.

"Was more the statement of a fourth year than the actual sighting" Chloe corrected quietly.

"But that is not the only thing that was frustrating you we're been informed" McGonagall stated, watching as the girl took a mouthful of her warm tea, not giving eye contact. The young's only response was a shrug of her shoulders. "It is also our understanding that you over heard a private conversation before the summer started" she pressed and now the girl started to fidget. She was a true Gryffindor, but no one could stand the judgement of three professors before them for long.

"It had been an accident, your door was open and I was waiting for our session" Chloe explained.

"I see, well the reason that brings me to concern is that what Hagrid said is not proven and is very unlikely" the older witch explains.

"I don't want to believe it any more then you do, but it was your father that commit those crimes and he did kill not only his friend but also got two of his friends killed" Remus stated sorrowfully. Chloe nodded her head, showing that she was understanding what they were telling her.

"I can understand your curiosity about the matter Miss Perth, but the man _is_ dangerous and it _is_ a risk for your to go anywhere near him" the headmaster stated, no room for misunderstanding. "The man has been locked up for almost 12 years and that can damage a person just as much as whatever caused him to snap in the first place" he continued. Chloe understood where they were going from, but it didn't make their words hurt any less. Before that day there was always a slight chance that what Hagrid had said could be true, but now these people before her were telling her that it was very unlikely. She really was the daughter of a murderer.

"Okay" Chloe said in defeat. "I understand Professors, I won't go looking for my biological father".

"Very good Miss Perth, now, more tea?"

X – X – X

And so the tea after became less awkward, though Chloe still didn't get a transfiguration session. She had been tricked, though she couldn't be mad because of it. She was impressed with how McGonagall had done it. But to say Chloe wasn't disappointed would be an understatement. Sure, deep down she knew it was true. But knowing what the truth was and being told it by outsiders, was a great difference. Once the tea finished Chloe excused herself and went back to the common room. She had the intention of doing work but seemed to be distracted the whole time.

It was only when Whisk came into the room she was taken out of her thoughts by the sweet elf telling her it was dinner time in the great hall. Chloe thanked her before moving to leave the dorm. When she left the stairs were empty, there was only eh distant sounds of excitement coming from the great hall. She didn't know what it was, but the quiet put her on edge. She wasn't sure if it had been the conversation with the professors that had her hyperaware or her own thoughts that afternoon, all she knew was that she got to the great hall quicker then she normally would have.

Once there, Wood caught her as she'd been walking down the aisle and told her they had an evening practice hour before dinner tomorrow and she would be expected to be there on time. To say quidditch was the last thing on her mind wouldn't have been true. It was a distraction she welcomed as it meant that for the time of practice she had to focus on something else, she had to focus on her team. So Chloe nodded in confirmation and the twins commented on how different her reaction would have been if it was last year.

She rolled her eyes at their bad humour and moved to sit beside Eve and Rhiannon who procced to tell her all about their day in the village. Draco was still unable to go but had told Eve that they'd go together on the last trip before Christmas. Until then, Eve was happy to just go with her friends. The two had found a tea shop for lunch and had stocked up on some more school supplies, also gathered what Chloe had asked them to look out for that morning along with giving them some of her allowance in case they did find it. Dinner was swift, with no new messages from the headmaster or any of the professors so everyone was dismissed quickly so they could have a calm evening.

Or so everyone had hoped.

x – x – x – x

"So this little tea shop is so cosy and they have so many teas to choose from, not all of them magical" Rhiannon explained with a bright smile as the three walked up the staircase to the common room. They were the first few students so they were focused on the cases rather than where they led, plus some tall seventh years, whose names escaped them, were in front blocking the view.

"I had ginger" Eve stated and Chloe looked at her in shock.

"The great proud Gryffindor Eve Overton drank tea without her mother's insisting?" she said teasingly before looking really close as if trying to determine something. "Do we need to take you to Madam Pomfrey?" she teased her best friend.

"We might need to take you if you fall over because our not concentrating on where your walking" Eve teased back, but with a straight face.

"Why would I need too? We're not moving anywhere" as Chloe said the words, it was like it triggered the puzzled looks they gave each other, not even realising that they had stopped only three steps from the top of the staircase outside the common room.

"Why aren't we moving?" Chloe said slowly standing back upright, but Eve was the one to tap on the seventh years back in front of them. At her touch, it was like the boy jumped six feet in the air.

"Don't do that!" he screeched at them, it was a little amusing been as these were really tall boy and one had just let out a very feminine screech. So much for Gryffindors. Just as Chloe was about to ask what the hold-up was she heard Rhiannon gasp. Quickly, she looked at her friend and saw that she was ever so slightly paler then what she had been seconds ago. She opened her mouth to ask what the matter was but Eve grabbed her hand. Startled but the contact Chloe looked to her other friend but saw that Eve was staring ahead, expression shocked. Confused, Chloe looked in the direction they were and now understood.

Before them, between the tall seventh years, over the heads of the few first years before them was the painting of the Fat Lady. But she was not there, no one was there. The canvas was ruined, its painted scene completely still. It was ruined because there were three lines cut though the paper, so deep they went into the wood of the door. The paper line were wide because the old paper had rolled making the damage look great and the claws bigger than it was. Chloe didn't know what happened two painted spirits when their painting are ruined, but Chloe found herself hoping that the fat Lady was aright and safe.

"Let me through, please" a voice rose over the top of all the murmurs in the crowd of Students. It was one that the trio knew well. "Excuse me! I'm Head Boy!" it had been Percy Weasley to come barging though the crowd and almost fall when he got to the area in front of the painting. Chloe rolled her eyes at his use of his title. It was as if he was using it as a trophy and waving it around as if he got special treatment. That wasn't the point of head boy and Girl. They were there to represent, not flaunting it about. If they wanted a head boy like that then it could have been someone from Slytherin.

"Get back, all of you" Percy called out to all the first years that had ended up at the front of the crowd. Unfortunately for Percy, first years were curious things. "No one is to enter this dormitory until it's been searched" he tried again to instruct and Chloe almost wanted to roll her eyes. However, she could see Rhiannon glaring at the first years that weren't listening and decided to keep her opinion to herself.

"The Fat Lady! She's gone!" Chloe heard Colin say to some behind her, she tried to turn and see who the young boy was talking to but all that was behind her was a wall of the Weasley twins, Lee Jordan and Angelina Johnson.

"Those not in Gryffindor house, back to your common rooms" a new voice boomed from higher up the staircases. Chloe turned to see it was the headmaster that had spoken and with him was Mr Filch, Professor McGonagall, Professor Lupin and at the back, Professor Snape. The group followed with the headmaster in the lead walked straight and the crowd parted form them like Moses and the red sea.

'Bet you're jealous of that entrance' Chloe thought as she turned back toward Percy who indeed did have a face that looked masked from his envy. Trouble was in the respect that he was envious of or was it the control over others.

"Make way, Make way" Mr Filch called from just behind Dumbledore. "The headmaster's here" he continued making large waving motions with both arms. "Come on, move, you heard, Move!" he got angry the more he had to tell the students, but they had moved out of the way for the headmaster and Professors, it was just him they weren't moving for.

Once Dumbledore got in front of the painting he looked at it curiously, he reached out and lifted one of the tears and brought it up to actually look at the image instead of the damage. Chloe gave out a sigh of breath when she saw there was no figure, just an empty scene.

"Mr Filch? Round up the ghosts" the headmaster instructed, but the man didn't notice the caretaker already studying the paintings of the large staircase hall. The man knew every paining better than probably any of the caretakers of Hogwarts before. He knew the few paints with objects big enough for the fat lady could hide behind.

"Tell them to search every painting in the castle to find the Fat Lady" Dumbledore continued bit Mr Filch was already looking a painting higher up intensely.

"There's no need for ghosts, professor" the caretaker replied, gaining all the attention of those around. "The Fat Lady's there" he said as pointed to the painting he had been looking at. From there it was like flood gates opened. Everyone moved, headed to the painting that was pointed out.

People bumped shoulders and pushed passed overs. Once the teacher had moved suddenly Percy was pushed up against the ruined painting he had been standing beside. Chloe moved to the side to let those around her and behind her passes. Eve and Rhiannon had moved with the crowd without another thought. The twins were just as curious, not even sending her at look as they passed.

But Chloe didn't care about the fat lady anymore. She wanted to know about the claw marks. There was something about them that she wanted to check. Once all had moved passed her to hear the headmaster talk to the dramatic woman, Chloe made her way to the painting. She moved slowly, almost afraid. However, she needed to do this, she needed to confirm. Once in front of the canvas, she reached out, not to the canvas paper like the man before she did.

No, she reached out to touch the slight engraving of dragged marks. They were curious, first big and far apart but as they went long the marks got more pointed, more prominent. The lines got closer together as if the distance between the digits got smaller. It was curious why the marks were like this. But then it suddenly made sense.

"He's here, somewhere in the castle! Sirius Black!" the shrill voice of the Fat Lady called out, her words filling the large structured hall. Her words made sense, even down to the claw marks in front of her. Sirius was a registered Animagus, he was on the registry. So he must have transfigured into his animal to cause this damage.

"Secure the castle, Mr Filch"

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Please leave a review if you've got a comment you want to share.

Original Plot belongs to JKRoweling

-MSW-


	16. Quidditch Goals, Falls, Saves

It had been two weeks since Sirius Black had invaded the castle and now it was Saturday. The second Quidditch Match of the year and it was between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. It was a good game because when they were playing it was always a fair game.

Cedric Diggory believed in playing by the rules and Wood always hyped them up for these games. Chloe couldn't disagree with the older boy for once because she too enjoyed their games against Hufflepuff. In these games she didn't have to worry do much about getting injured. But no one had expected how this one would end up.

The game had started overcast but near the end a storm of rain, wind and lightening had overcome the higher parts of the pitch. Chloe, Katie and Angalina stayed low to the ground for their plays, where they could see each other and knew would confuse the Hufflepuffs because Wood's strategies were always fancy broom work, high up.

But being low to the ground didn't change that in their unexpected play. It had been completely unpractised but the girls were so in sync that game they probably could have read each other's thoughts, before the others even had a chance to thing it. It started with Katie, the most aggressive of the three, despite her small size, gaining the quaffle from the Hufflepuff chaser.

For her it had been easy and she quickly dropped down lower but still as good twenty feet higher then Chloe. Chloe got low, as low as she could to the Hufflepuff side of the pitch. Once Chloe was low enough Katie just dropped the Quaffle. It was good timing because the other teams chasers were all starting to head towards her.

Chloe saw the ball drop and was quick to act. She swung off her broom and planted her booted feet firmly in the mud. Then using the same momentum she'd needed to swing off she brought her broom into a wide arch, changing the grip she had on the broom as if she was holding a beater instead of a broom. Timed just right so that when she had almost hit the 270° mark, the broom made upward contact with the quaffle, sending the large ball higher and higher, soring as if it was a bulger and she was a beater. The Quaffle sailed up and up, higher and higher towards the goal rings.

It seemed like Chloe had done this unexpected move that everyone in shock and confusion just to pass it back to the other team. The Hufflepuff keeper moved forward to catch the large ball with a smirk of victory. Just like the three had planned.

Before the Quaffle made it to even 4 feet to the keeper Angalina was there, catching the quaffle under arm and curving around the other player on their broom. She produced the tight curve and adjusted her gloved grip of the ball and shot the Quaffle into the unprotected goal hoop. All the Hufflepuff Keeper could do was watch over his shoulder, helpless as the other team scored.

The stands had been quiet as they had watched the unusable game play but the Gryffindor stands was overcome with loud cheers in victory at the remarkable goal. While Angalina had scored Chloe had swung back onto her broom to watch. When she saw the ball go sailing though the goal she let of a cheer full of adrenaline before moving up to give Katie and high five. The older girl smirked as she looked smugly to the Hufflepuff chaser that she had got the ball off of. The girls high fived and Angalina came flying over to them.

"I cannot believed that worked!" Angalina called with a triumphant smile.

"Almost didn't if you didn't if you hadn't caught it when you did" Chloe praised with a high five to the older girl. Katie laughed.

"Could you imagine how embarrassing that would have been?!" Katie stated as she also gave Angalina a well-deserved high five.

"For me, yeah for you two? Not so much" Chloe stated and ducked before Katie could push her shoulder. "What? It's true" Chloe said as she tried not to chuckle too much.

"Yeah well, you ready to go, Hufflepuffs are again" Angalina said as the three looked to the Hufflepuff keeper who now had the quaffle again.

"No rest of the wicked" Katie said dramatically.

"Don't let Wood hear, you" Chloe started to say but her speech slowed as she saw something dropping from the clouds. The other two looked to her but she quickly took off before either looked in the direction she had been looking. Chloe was quick to act. She had spotted the shadow falling though the grey clouds, illumined by the lightening behind it. It was only when she made out the outline, she realised it was an actual person falling. She was unsure of who it was, only knowing that before they made their play that the two seekers had rushed off up after the snitch.

Chloe just assumed it was now one of them that was falling. Worrying it might be Harry she sped off before she could question it. When she got closer she realised that it was Cedric, Hufflepuffs seeker and team captain that was falling. She saw the flutter of yellow from his quidditch uniform, but she didn't stop her actions.

For some reason the boy was falling and not trying to right himself. She knew he was an advanced flyer. There was no questioning it, he had proven that in many of their games, even caught the snitch in a few of his other games, though not in ones like this, Harry just had too much natural talent and keen reflexes to be bested.

However, something must have happened to the boy for him to be falling from this great a height and not be trying to right himself with his broom. In fact, as Chloe looked closer it seemed like he was locked in position of holding his broom, like he could move his muscles. But that couldn't happen…Unless he was struck by lightning! As if to prove Chloe's theory, another flash of lightning struck across the clouded sky.

"Buggery!" Chloe cursed as she sped up her movement towards the falling boy. When close enough she reached out and grabbed onto the cloth fabric of his Quidditch uniform. The force was great but likely her gloves stopped her picking up on any of the left over electoral charge given to the boy though the lightening. Chloe held tight and slowed her broom before she flew into the side of the pitch's stands.

With her tight grip Chloe started to lower half and the shock froze boy towards the ground. She didn't even stop when a bludger came straight at her, not even moving to avoid it. But why would she, Fred Weasley flew in front of her and swung his bat with great force, knocking the offending ball away.

"Bloody hell Perth!" the twin yelled towards her, an annoyed expression on his face. "Stop keeping people safe and try looking out for those things will you" he lectured. "Don't you remember what one of these did to you and Harry last year?!" he said crossly to the girl on her broom from his place on his own broom _._

"Why would I? I trust George and you have our backs" Chloe said with a teasing smirk, puzzled by his harsh words but unsure what they meant.

"That's when your all together and it's easier to control the blasted things" Fred stated angrily. By now Chloe had lowered Cedric all the way to the ground but now the boy she was hanging from her hand was now able to move.

"Perth?" he questioned, Shocked to find her being the one to save him. Chloe looked down to the boy with a smirk.

"Have a good fall Diggory?" she teased, letting go of the older boy once his feet hit the ground.

"You could say that" the Hufflepuff said with his own smirk. "Guess I should thank you" he stated.

"Least I could do after we're beating the Hufflepuffs in this game" Chloe said confidently. "Got to give your team some kind of chance to catch up" she stated.

"By letting me look for the snitch?" Cedric asked confused.

"By me being distracted by saving your ass from landing nastily" she clarified.

"Oh by all means ignore the guy that saved both your asses from falling because of a bludger" Fred said with a huff before pulling his broom up and going higher, back to his twin to talk about their next play. Chloe watched the twin go confused.

"What's got under his boot" she muttered as she watched the boy but turned when she heard Cedric chuckle.

"Really, you can't see that?" he asked her but Chloe just rolled her eyes.

"Get back to finding the snitch Diggory, only way you're going to win this game" Chloe said confidently but started to fly up back to her team to find their next move. It seemed like she only just got back to Katie's side when the girl gasped. Chloe looked at the girl then back she had been. Cedric was back on his broom and flying off to the side of the pitch, obviously just stopping the snitch in that direction.

'Looks like there not much time left in this game' Chloe though as she watched the boy go. 'Where is Harry? He was following the snitch as well' it was then Chloe looked back to Katie but saw that the girl wasn't looking at where Diggory was going like she originally thought. Instead the girl was looking towards something else. Chloe, puzzled by the girl's reaction looked where she and the rest of the players seemed to be looking and almost fell off her broom. Above the pitch the lightening had gotten worse so more shadows were coming though the thinner gaps in the clouds.

From these shadows, a horrible scene was displayed. Dementors were circling, a figure on a broom, who could have only been Harry for various reasons was the centre of their attention and more seemed to come by the second. Chloe was froze in shock at the ruthless in this display. It only lasted no longer than 2 minutes, maybe, but they were a long two minutes. In those two minutes Cedric caught the snitch but no one cheered, all very concerned by the display.

At the silence the older boy looked up and too saw the horror the younger seeker was being subjected to. The only reason the display seemed to end was because Harry slipped from his broom. Chloe was the first to realise that the slip hadn't been Harry using it to get away from the torture, she realised that the slip was because he was unconscious. She could tell by the limp posture the falling boy was showing.

Unlike when Diggory was falling being stiff because of the shock freezing up his muscles Harry's was loose and moving. Chloe was quick to act. It seemed to be the only thing she ever did on a broom was catch falling boys. Neville first year, Wood first year, Diggory this game and now Harry. She should just change her role to catching falling people.

But those weren't the thoughts filling her head at that moment. Then it was how was she going to save the boy? Where would be best to stay and wait for him to fall to her? What speed did she need to use to get to him in time? But seemed she didn't need to plan too much.

"Aresto momentum!" a powerful voice casted on the body of the boy falling. Chloe turned briefly towards where the voice had come from and saw it had been the Headmaster, who stood up, his arm reached forward to cast the spell with wandless magic. Chloe slowed down when she turned back to see Harrys body falling at a much slower pace.

'Well isn't that a brilliant way to stop a falling player' Chloe thought to herself. It almost made her want to roll her eyes and how oblivious the Headmaster seemed to favour Harry above others. How many students must he have seen fall from great heights in these games.

An example would have happened not even 5 minutes ago. Now Chloe was the right place Harry fell right on too her broom and she held his uniform belt with one hand and guided her broom down to the ground.

At least the game was over now


	17. Protection and a Lie

Harry fully recovered from his Dementor attack by Sunday morning. He was up and out of the hospital wing with a warning to be careful from Madam Pomfrey by Lunch. Chloe had keep an eye on him because of her worry for the boy. Instead of going to lunch he had headed to the defence corridor, to Professor Lupin's classroom.

'Why here?' she would have to go in a bit as she would be late for tea with Hagrid. But the boy's actions didn't make much sense. Unless they did. 'No' she thought worryingly as she moved to the door. Had Professor Lupin told him his connection with Harry's father? Chloe couldn't blame the man if he did. All his friends are gone and from what she could tell he didn't really have anyone else. But if Remus Lupin had told Harry about his connection with his father, had he told him about his connection with hers? Before she could think logically Chloe walked into the classroom.

"Professor I want to able to protect myself against them" Harry was in the middle of saying to the weak looking Professor Lupin that was sat at his desk, papers in front of him.

"Miss Perth" the professor greeted, announcing her presence to the boy Stood in front of him, so he know their conversation was no longer just between the two. Chloe flushed slightly at being caught, but it was what she wanted. "Something I can help you with on this fine Sunday Lunch?" he asked with a bright but tired smile.

"No Professor" Chloe said honestly with a shake of her head. Remus gave her a puzzled look.

"So then?" he dragged out his question.

"I followed Harry here" Chloe decided to reply. "I was worried about him after his fall yesterday" she half lied. She was really worried about the boy, but that's not the reason she walked into the classroom, she could have waited outside till he left.

"I see" Remus said with a knowing smile, figuring out what it was that she really was worried about.

"I'm fine Chloe" Harry said with a roll of his eyes, taking her actions as overprotective. He was right, they were, but not of him, of the secret she was being forced to keep. "You can go to lunch, I need a word with Professor Lupin" he told her strictly before turning his back to her to look at the professor.

"Now Harry, that is certainly no way to talk to a lady" Lupin said with a smile before it turned serious. "Besides it might not be a bad idea for Chloe to join us if I'm going to teach you the Patronus charm to protect yourself from the Dementors" Lupin explained.

"The Dementors?" Chloe questioned aloud with a confused look, looking from the professor to Harry. "Why are you worried about them?" she asked confused. "Dumbledore sent them away" she stated. Everyone knew that the headmaster had sent the Dementors away, Hermione had even told Harry yesterday when he woke up.

"For now, and they are just banished from Hogwarts grounds, they are still on the outlines and they are allowed in if their target is inside" Professor Lupin explained. "No one can stop a Dementor from their target when their location is confirmed, not even Headmaster Dumbledore" he continued.

"Which is why I want a way to defend myself from them" Harry said seriously.

"And I will teach you how Harry, have no fear in that" Lupin promised. "But I must rest for now, I am too weak at the moment and have a lot to do, but after the holidays" he stated before giving Chloe a quick look. "After the holidays I will teach you _and_ Chloe the Patronus charm" he said, giving really no room for argument, but harry had never taken that que well.

"Why Chloe?" Harry voiced, turning to look at the girl. "She's not Black and they seem to only be going after me" Harry questioned before turning back to the professor. "They could have gone after her at the game but they only attacked _me_ " Harry voiced confused. At Harry's words Lupin's expression became serious

"They only went after you because you went high above the pitch" the professor stated, as if he was giving a class on a serious topic. "Chloe stayed close to the ground, the Dementors had no way to sense her that far away" he explained. "You made yourself a target, going so high from the pitch" he continued. "They have already proven that if they were given the chance they will go after her and you, she needs the protection just as much as you" 'if not more so' was the silent message he sent her way in his eye contact.

"If I am going to teach you the charm then we are doing it with Chloe, not without" the professor stated, showing that he would not be budged on the topic.

"But Professor" Harry started but sent a quick look towards Chloe before he spoke again. Seeing her he gave a sigh. "I wanted to use the time also to talk about my parents" he explained and Lupin's look softened slightly.

"I am always here to share those memories with you Harry" he explained with a soft, sad smile. "But my mind will not be changed on this matter" he stated. Harry looked at him for a few moments and Chloe stood their awkwardly, fiddling with the bag strap she had on her shoulder. She had got everything ready for her charms and transfiguration lesson, unsure how long she would be watching over Harry until her worry was settled. She found herself using the bags strap as a comfort a lot this year. It wasn't the one that the professor had charmed for her.

She now used that more when she was going Hogsmeade to put her supplies in or when she was standing something home. This bag was the one that she had transfigured herself. It had been her first year robes but now in their year she had no use for them as she had grown out of them. So using both her first year robe and her almost worn out leather quidditch protectors she created that bag. She spelled the robes into the bags lining and strap while the leather as the outside protective material. Call her sentimental but it seemed like a good way to reuse her special robe and happy memories of quidditch, even though if Wood asked her she would deny it.

"Fine" Harry's agreement brought Chloe out of her thoughts and back to the classroom.

"Excellent" Lupin said with a smile. "Now off to lunch you two, though I don't know how much longer it will be on for" the professor confessed before turning back to the papers before him. "I will let you know after the holiday when we will start the sessions" and with that the two students were dismissed. Harry nodded his head, turning around walked back towards the doorway and Chloe turned to do the same. When the two got out the classroom Chloe checked her watch. Lunch would only be there for another ten minutes so been as she could be going to Hagrid's by herself today she planned to just go straight there.

"I'm going to head straight to Hagrid's" Chloe said aloud, causing Harry to look to her. "Want to join me? Sure he's been worried about you since your fall yesterday" Chloe offered him, but Harry shook his head.

"I'll head there later, Ron and Hermione will be worried" Harry said sheepishly, as if only just realising that he left his friends waiting for him.

"Ok, see you later Harry" and with that Chloe turned to start walking in the direction of Hagrid's.

"Hey Chloe!" Harry called to her causing her to look at him over her shoulder. "Thanks for catching me yesterday" he said with a smile.

"Your welcome Harry" and with that she turned and head off while he walked the other direction to the hall.

* * *

That was the updat this time. Hope you're enjoying the story so far.

-MSW-


	18. Crying for Unsure Reasons

**Here is a belated Christmas update.**

 **Enjoy**

* * *

It was the last Hogsmeade trip of the term. What had supposed the girl trio was that Percy had asked Rhiannon to join him on this one which got her excited that morning. Eve would be going with Draco who was now allowed to go been as it was the last one to get presents for parents and friends. This meant that Chloe didn't need to worry about either of her friends going by themselves. Again she had been advised by McGonagall not to go which the young Witch agreed to. However, this time she had asked to have a really extra session with the professor.

But the professor told her should couldn't give it to the girl because she had a meeting in the village that she had to attend in Dumbledore's place at the headmaster's request. It had surprised Chloe, but she understood and instead decided to spend the day with Hagrid. However, he told her that she wouldn't be able to spend it with him either. He had been charged with going out to find the Hogwarts Christmas tree. This would mean he would be out in the far parts of the forbidden forest in search of the perfect tree, where there was a chance of seeing Dementors.

Chloe understood the risk that the trip could put her in and agreed that it wouldn't be a good idea. So instead she went to the library to do work. She briefly thought about going to Professor Lupin to spend the day with him and talk about her father. But she didn't think that was a good idea. It was getting harder for her to think about the man. The more she thought about him, the more she wanted to meet him, to confront him about what he did. She wanted to really ask him if he did it, if he was a murderer. Recently she noticed there was another question she wanted to ask him.

It was a much harder question, that she wasn't sure she really wanted the answer too. It would be hard to hear the answer to it, she wasn't even sure if she would be strong enough to. When she thought of things like that it just brought her back to reality. The reality that she would never actually get the chance to ask them. She would never get to know her criminal father. That she would never get the chance to even meet the man that was the reason for half of her.

They were the thoughts that distracted her all day. Even causing her to forget about lunch and stay in her quiet corner of the library until dinner time. She packed up her books into her bag and headed towards the Great Hall. But she didn't expect to hear what she did.

x – x – x – x

"I'll kill him" Harry kept muttering under his breath. Chloe could hear him from her place next to Eve across the table. At first, she thought he was talking about Draco. She'd got filled in by Eve about what Draco had done to Hermione and Ron. Knowing that the boy couldn't go on the trip Chloe assumed he was talking about it because he hadn't been there to stop the boy. But that couldn't be the case. If Harry was threatening Draco, Hermione would have told him to stop talking nonsense by now and they would have moved the conversation on. But that wasn't the case to it had to be something else.

"I'll kill him" Harry muttered again and Chloe slammed down her fork in announce, getting the attention of those around.

"Honestly Harry, what has got you so annoyed that 'you are going to kill him'? Its Draco, he's a toll breath, ignores him" she stated with a roll of her eyes.

"What?" Harry said darkly. "You think I'm going to kill Draco?" Harry spat. His words even more confused Chloe as she looked at him. "Are you that stupid? You don't know anything" Harry stated with a dark undertone.

"Chloe I'd leave it, he doesn't mean it, he's just…upset and I'm sure he'll feel bad tomorrow," Hermione said to her friend, with a pleading look.

"Mate, not here, you weren't meant to be there in the first place," Ron said to Harry calmly while his eyes were looking around.

"Why not, I'm not afraid," Harry said to Ron but kept eye contact with Chloe, how just gave him a puzzled face.

"I think he might mean it Hermione, but thanks for trying," Chloe said coldly, not being the first to look away for her staring contest with Harry. "Fine Harry, you're not mad at Draco, so who is it 'you're going to kill'?" she asked.

"Sirius Black" Harry spat and now their argument had caught more attention from the Gryffindors at the table. Chloe ignored this and focused on the boy in front of her and the name he just said. "You wanted to know who I'll kill, well it's him," he said darkly.

"Why-?" Chloe went to start when her voice started to work again but Harry cut her off.

"All this time I'd been his target and no one told me the realness of his crimes" he spat. Chloe was suddenly holding her breath, unsure if she had had just backed herself into a corner she wouldn't get out of. "No one told me what he'd done, what he'd brought on my parents, on me" he continued. "No one told me he was the one to cause the death of my parents" at his words Chloe felt like she had been stabbed. It was one thing to be told about her father's traitorous actions. It turns out it hearing the effect on the person affected by actions is entirely different.

"So I'm going Kill Sirius Black" Harry finished darkly. The words 'kill', 'Sirius' and 'Black' seemed to each be a knife into Chloe's heart, back and ribs. It was like someone was really driving the knife through her skin and causing blood to expel from her body. Chloe didn't know what to do, didn't know what to say instead she got up out her seat and walked quickly out the hall.

Eve called out after her. Angalina called out after her retreating figure. Even Ginny and the Twins called after her. But Chloe just kept walking, she couldn't turn around, once out the arch her eyes watered and soon streaks of tears were running down her face. She couldn't go back to the common room, she couldn't let people see her like this. She didn't know where to go. She didn't want to seem weak in front of McGonagall, she didn't want to put this on Hagrid. She just didn't know where to go. She had never felt so alone. Until he called out.

"Chloe!" she heard her name but assumed she dreamt it, that she imagined someone coming after her. "Chloe wait!" there it was again, but she ignored it again. In fact, she didn't believe it was real till large arms wrapped around her stopping her from moving. "Chloe calm down"

"No!" she shrieked, pulling against the arms.

"Miss Perth calmly yourself, it's just me," the voice said calmly but Chloe kept struggling.

"No, I can't, I can't, I-I'm no good" she sobbed now. Her tears causing her to just sob. "I hurt him, just-just like him" she continued through her tears. "I'm just like him, I'm a-a horrible person," she said, struggling to get her breath through the sobs. "I'm just like him, I-I hurt him, I just-just hurt people" she cried. She had no energy to struggle against the man anymore, she just collapsed, her knees weak and just crumpled, and if not for his arms, she'd be a mess on the floor.

"Shh, shh sweet girl" Professor Lupin whispered soothingly. One arm wrapped around her, the other smoothing over her hair. It was a fatherly comfort that made her miss her parents. It made Chloe miss the people that had been there for her almost all her life.

"You are not him, you do not pay for his crimes," Lupin said in comfort. "Harry is upset, he will see sense," the professor said calmly, hugging the girl close and cursing at his used to-be-friend for what was happening to the sweet girl. "He will not hurt him, Harry won't kill him, and he's just upset" he continued.

"You don't know that," Chloe said with her slowly calming sobs. "You didn't see the-the look he-he had, oh god he's-he's going to hate me!" her sobs almost started a new at the thought of the truth coming out. "Wh-when they find out, Th-they're all going to ha-hate me!" by now she was struggling to breathe again and Lupin saw this. He looked around and saw they were in a corridor that wouldn't get any foot traffic for a while, they had time. He spotted an alcove and picked up the girl and moved to it. Carefully as he could with her holding him as she sobbed he sat himself down and brought her to curl into his lap.

This probably wasn't good for a professor and student but he hurt seeing her like this. It hurt him to see Harry lash out at her as he had. If everything had gone perfectly he would have seen their childhood, see them grow up. Remus would still have his best friends, they would have all been happy. Harry and Chloe would have known each other before Hogwarts, no doubt Harry would have had siblings and Chloe would have known them too. But nothing had gone perfectly. So he chose to use that moment, to comfort the girl that would have been like a niece to him in another life.

He chose that moment not to care and just let her cry, she was hurting and needed a good cry.


	19. Break Ups, Promised Punch, Advice

After sitting with Professor Lupin for a good hour or two Chloe calmed down enough to talk. She told him how Harry's words had affected her and the professor told her that he got it but she shouldn't take on her father's blame. He sat with her and listened to her and after they'd talked she asked him to just hold her for a while. That she missed her parents and that he was giving her comfort she missed from them. It warmed him to know what he was helping her so they just sat and just took comfort in each other's company.

After sitting for however long they did, Lupin then walked her back to her common room, telling her to get some sleep and all would be better in the morning. But he didn't know what awaited her in her dorm room that night. When Chloe opened the door to the dorm Hermione and Eve were sat either side of a weeping Rhiannon who was half laying, half hanging off her bed. Hermione gave a sigh of relief when she saw the blonde girl.

"There you are," she said relieved. "We were worried where you'd gone" she explained. "I told Harry he was out of line for what he said to you at dinner, I expect you'll get an apology from him tomorrow morning, Merlin knows he sees that he was out of line now" she started to ramble but Chloe just nodded her head.

"Yeah, it wasn't all his fault, I shouldn't have pushed," Chloe said honestly, feeling more like she needed to give him an apology rather than the other way round.

"Well you can both say sorry tomorrow and it can be put behind you before Christmas, lord knows how it would be if you didn't make-up before you go your separate ways at Christmas," Hermione said firmly. Chloe had to smile at the girl's determination. It really was something how she took charge of something so simple as her friends falling out.

"I'm sure we will Hermione" just then a loud sob came from the crying mess on the bed. "I take it I'm not the only one that's been upset tonight?" Chloe said with a sigh before turning to Eve. "So, it happened then?" She asked starting to walk over to the bed.

"Apparently," Eve said with a sigh. Though she seemed cold and uninterested, she really did care about her friends. And right now, her friend's heart was hurting. Chloe walked so that she was level with Rhiannon's head the other side of the bed to where Eve and Hermione were sat.

"Rhiannon?" she asked and the girl looked up at her friend. "What happened?" she asked but could gather what had happened. It wasn't much of a surprise really.

"He-he dumped me!" Rhiannon wailed. And Chloe resisted rolling her eyes. She had gathered that much she wanted details, she also wanted to go find the head boy and hurt him like her friend is hurting. "He took me to where we could see the shrieking shack, he sat me on a bench, I thought it was odd because he stayed-stayed standing" Rhiannon started to describe to them. "He stood-he stood there and told me he couldn't do it any-anymore, said that he needed a more mature partner, that he-he would be graduating this-this year, that he couldn't date a-a student when he'd be working in the-the ministry" Rhiannon sobbed as she told them what happened. Chloe fisted her hands in anger, Eve was glaring and Hermione had a sorrowful expression. "Oh he's ended it, I'm not loveable, and what was I thinking dating him? It was always going to happen wasn't it" Rhiannon said dramatically and Chloe sat half on the bed looking dead in her eyes.

"Now you listen here Rhiannon Emily Darling," Chloe said seriously and suddenly Rhiannon was looking right at her and her sobs quietening slightly. "There was no reason for his actions, you are a great person and if he's missed that then tough Troll dung for him, got it?" she asked and Rhiannon gave a slow nod, she having tears leak from her eyes but her whole focus on the girl in front of her.

"Now, you are hurting but we," Chloe said indicating the all three girls on the bed with the upset girl. "Are here for you and here to help you through this because there is no reason for you not to hurt, it's the only way to get over the dung-head" she told the girl.

"Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance" Eve stated.

"The five-girl stages of a broken heart" Hermione added and Chloe nodded in agreement, remembering when Angalina had sat them all down in their first year in one of her many 'big sister talks'.

"So for now, I'm going to call Whisk and ask her to get us four bowls of Hogwarts Ice cream and Hermione can tell us all how Harry managed to get to Hogsmeade this weekend when he's not meant to leave the castle?" Chloe said, looking to the lovely bushy haired girl who looked off to the side. Oh, Chloe's going to find out, even if it means tickling it out of her.

x – x – x – x

It was the next morning. All the girls had changed feed their animals and then curled up in Rhiannon's bed for a night of support. Chloe purposely slept the opposite side of Eve as she had a tendency to push whoever is behind her on to the floor. She also made sure Hermione was next to Rhiannon so that she had an easy way to get out of bed. She had a plan for this morning and nothing was going to stop her from it.

It was a Sunday morning and she planned to tell Harry and Ron that they were stealing Hermione, for the morning and after lunch to go to Hagrid's for Tea with the gentle giant. He would have just the right tea for a broken heart. That man had a tea for every situation. Rest of the day they would figure out later on but right now they had a plan. First Chloe had some business she had to take care of in the great hall, without Rhiannon watching. So Chloe got out of the shared bed and put on her clothes for the day.

Once she got her shoes on she put some owl pelts in Hoots cage which seemed to please the bird of prey. She needed to remember to give him a good afternoon of attention soon. Chloe quickly grabbed something off of Rhiannon's nightstand, placing it in her pocket and walked out of the dorm down the stairs to the common room. It was mostly quiet as she suspected most people were already in the great hall. She would have rather not had an audience with what happens next but that wouldn't stop her now. When she was out the common room, Chloe headed in the direction of the great hall. She passed students but paid them no mind. Her focus was on getting to the hall and carrying out the task she had set herself. Once down all the staircases she started down the main stairs and saw Professor Snape just about to enter the hall. Perfect.

"Professor!" she called as she rushed down the last of the stairs. The tall, dark-haired professor paused his step and looked in her direction where he heard her call.

"Miss Perth?" he asked in a bored tone. Chloe knew he'd be the right Professor, he wasn't biased.

"I'm about to do something that will cause a little bit of a commotion and need a fair professor to be there" Chloe stated as she came to a stop in front of him.

"Oh? Fair? I thought Gryffindor's never thought that of me" Snape said as he folded his arms in front of him as he turned to speak with her.

"True, but I don't want others to think I'm getting off easy and I know I won't if it's you that set the punishment" Chloe stated simply. Now she had the Professors curiosity.

"Oh, and are you sure there would be no stopping this commotion you're going to cause, you seem very calm for someone about to cause trouble" Snape pointed out.

"True, but that's because I believe in what I'm about to do is deserved, though might seem that to outsiders who don't know the whole story" Chloe replied.

"So what is it that you're going to do exactly?" Snape asked confused.

"Punch the head boy," Chloe said simply before turning to walk into the hall before Snape could say anything else. Though he didn't show it, Snape was taken back by her words and wasn't sure if he had heard her right. Chloe didn't wait for him to follow her, as she went through the arch-way, instead she looked around. She spotted the boy she was looking for easily with his bright ginger hair. He was stood at the end of the Ravenclaw table, talking to Penelope Clearwater. The scene annoyed Chloe more then she wanted to admit, but she walked their direction anyway. As she walked, she took the fabric out of her pocket and wrapping it once around her knuckle for protection. Many in the great hall seemed to notice her movements and stopped what they were doing to watch. Harry and Ron who had seen her talking to Snape, rushed to catch up with her and stopped just inside the arch near the Gryffindor table watching her movements.

The twins had noticed her direction as well and moved to stand by the two boys along with Angalina. Cedric Diggory had noticed her movement at the end of Hufflepuff table where he was talking with the Seventh year perfect about his patrol the night before. The scene was all set and even professors at the table at the end of the hall were watching with careful eyes. But Chloe didn't notice any of that, the boy before her might be taller than her by over a foot, she had a plan. Once she was behind Percy she tapped his back and waited.

"Goodness sake, can you not tell I'm in the middle of a conversation-" but he never got to finish that complain. As soon as he turned enough, Chloe grabbed his tie with her unwrapped hand pulling him down to her height. She didn't give him chance to speak as she brought her arm back and thrust her wrapped fist quickly in the centre of the boy's face. Right on the bridge of his nose.

"Ah!" Percy let out, moving to grabs his nose in pain. "Bloody hell" he screeched.

"What the hell Perth!" Clearwater screamed as she rose from her seat to look at her fellow head.

"That," Chloe said dramatically as she unwrapped the fabric from her knuckle. "Was me, fulfilling the promise I made Percy first year," she said seriously. "This," she said as she lifted the fabric which turned out to be a Gryffindor tie. "Is the tie returned that you gave Rhiannon," she said as she threw it at the head boy. "And now I leave you to your Sunday, enjoy getting your nose fixed Percy, be sure to say hi from me when you send your mother a letter about this" with that said she turned on the ball of her foot and walked over to the Hufflepuff table where Cedric stood straighter, worried what she would want with him.

"That," she said pointing towards the head boy. "Is a demonstration, if you're serious about Rhiannon, that is what I will do if you hurt her" Chloe explained. Cedric was puzzled at her words.

"So she and him?" he asked and Chloe shook her head.

"They're over" Chloe stated simply. "But I'd give her some space, this has hurt her" Chloe stated more for his sake than her own. "And if you could be a buffer for her at Christmas with both your families it will put you in a better light in my books" with that advice given she started walking again, this time to Harry who was shocked and gave a gulp. "I'm sorry about last night, I shouldn't have pushed you when you were already angry" Chloe apologised sincerely as she looked at the boy. Harry seemed shocked by her words and just nodded his head up and down.

"Right," he said but then his brain seemed to kick into gear and he came out of his shock. "I'm also sorry for calling you stupid" he apologised and Chloe nodded back at him in acceptance of his apology, giving him a smile.

"Hermione will be happy to know we apologised," Chloe said. "By the way, I'm borrowing her till just after lunch, girly things," She said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Though, don't think she'll be very happy when she finds out what I just did," Chloe said sheepishly looking back.

"What you just did was bloody brilliant" Ron said in awe.

"Ronny's right" the closest twin spoke up, George Chloe thinks as she looked at him. She was getting better at telling the two apart but she never voiced it to the two.

"That was amazing and also scary to watch" Fred added on the end.

"My little sister, the badass witch," Angalina said with a proud smirk, she punched the nearest twin in the arm lightly as if to show how proud she was.

"Right, well let's see if that's how Mrs Weasley will take the news," Chloe said sheepishly. "Not sure she's going to see it the same way when she finds out I hurt her prized head boy," Chloe said honestly. She didn't want to insult the woman, she was kind and didn't deserve the backlash from her son's actions.

"You'll be fine," Ron said with a wave of his hand dismissively. Not really worried or showing concern for his mother at all.

"Yeah, Mum loves you," George said with a bright smile.

"Sometimes we think more than us," Fred said with a smirk.

"That because my little sister is the best," Angalina said, still with a proud tone in her voice.

"Right…" Chloe said, really not sure if any of those things were a good thing or not. "Anyway," she said before moving to leave but stopping front of Professor Snape, ready to get the consequences over with. "So 50 point from Gryffindor?" she asked simply.

"I think we can make it 30," Snape said with only a slight humour showing on his face. Chloe was slightly shocked. "After all, you said you had a reason to do it" he added, shocking her even more.

"Professor?" Chloe questioned, making sure she heard him right.

"After all, Miss Darling is one of my best potions students," he said with a smirk. "I can't have her results affected by tears spilling into her potions over a silly boy," he said coldly. His face once again a cold mask of a potions master.

"Right," Chloe said, not convinced at all. "Well I'll see you in detention on Monday Professor," Chloe said before starting to work.

"Straight after dinner Perth, not a minute late or I'll add a day" Snape called strictly.

"Of course professor Snape, I'll be there" and with that, she headed back towards the Gryffindor dorms, to go comfort her heart broke friend.


	20. Goodbyes for Christmas

Finally, the holiday was here. It marked the end of the first term. It marked the break before the topic change in January. Marked the first holiday Chloe wouldn't be going home for the holidays. The Headmaster had requested Professor McGonagall inform the girl that it was still too dangerous to go home with her father on the loose. Chloe had agreed with the logic but hadn't really hit her until she was giving out her presents the night before everyone would be getting on the express.

"You're not going home for the Holidays?" Ginny had asked her sadly when she gave the little girl her small present. The look stabbed Chloe a little been as she couldn't tell the girl the truth, but far too many knew the secret as it is.

"No Ginny, they've going visit a distant ill aunt" Chloe lied. "She and I are not the greatest friends so I've offered to stay here for the holidays" she put some background to the lie for realism.

"But won't you be lonely here by yourself?" the sweet girl asked and Chloe smiled.

"Of course not, Harry's here along with other people who are staying for the holidays," Chloe said calmly. "How could I be lonely at that?" she said with a smile.

"I wish you'd told us sooner, I could have asked mum if the both of you could have come over ours," Ginny said sadly which caused Chloe to laugh.

"I don't think that would be a good idea after what happened with Percy" Chloe stated. "Besides, Hogwarts is the safest place, for Harry, at the moment" Chloe had to catch herself, it was hard to lie to this little innocent girl, it makes her feel worse lying to her.

"I suppose," Ginny said with a sigh.

"Anyway, you better go up and pack, don't want to be forgetting anything now, do you?" Chloe said brightly and the girl nodded before rushing away up the stairs, almost like she had forgotten something already. "Don't forget to give your parents that present!" she called after the girls retreating figure.

"I won't" the smaller girl called back.

"Going to be weird without you on the train" Neville stated as he handed her a wrapped box. Not very big but still bigger than her hand.

"You'll get over it," Chloe said with a roll of her eyes while she passed the boy his present. "You got the other two to keep you company," she said nodding her head to where Eve was standing. They had left Rhiannon to pack in the dorm. She was better after she break-up, but dreading going home to have to tell her mother that she was no longer with another boy that wasn't Cedric. Chloe just hoped the older boy keeps his promise to be the buffer that Rhiannon would need.

"That or I might just sit with Dean and Seamus" Neville joked.

"True, but then you have to worry if there is anything he can set on fire in the compartment" Chloe teased causing the larger boy to laugh.

"Also true, the girls are a safer bet," Neville said with a nod of his head. "Well, better go back, Gran won't appreciate it if I leave something important behind," he said before giving them a small wave with his free hand and walking up the stairs to the boys' dorms.

"I don't see how people can pack only the night before going home" Eve stated as she walked up to Chloe's side.

"Right, like you didn't only just finish packing up all your stuff this morning" Chloe teased with a smirk on her lips.

"Better I do it by hand then with the charm" Eve said back, a mirror smirk on her face.

"True, anyone would think I'm the one been around magic my whole life" Chloe teased back.

"No one would think that" Eve countered.

"Maybe" Chloe replied before turning and getting more presents out of her bag. She straightens her shoulder and walked over to the corner of the room where the 5 people were for presents. "Hey Oliver!" as she called his name the older boy looked up and she threw a small wrapped gift his way.

"That's Wood to you Perth" was his automatic response with a smirk.

"We're not on the pitch right now so you're Oliver," Chloe said back, not even really paying him attention. "Katie" she called and the girl looked her way from beside Wood, Chloe threw the girl a slightly bigger, flatter wrapped box. "Lee" the process repeated. "Angalina" instead of throwing the box she passed it to the girl, the box was like Katie's but the girl was different.

"Now" Chloe turned towards twins and they grinned at her, seeing if she would get this right. "Fred," she said holding out a green wrapped present with red ribbon towards the closer twin. "George" she held out a red wrapped present tied with green ribbon. "Merry Christmas to you all," she said as the twins looked at her shocked as they took the gifts. This told her she had got them the right way round. On inside her head, she was doing a little victory dance, on the outside, she just gave them a victorious smirk. She'd turned from the older group to where Ron and Harry were playing wizarding chess, Hermione sat on the couch comfortably reading her potions book. Chloe walked over to them with a smile as she brought out the last present in her bag.

"Ron" she called and the boy immediately lifted his head and looked in her direction.

"Yeah Perth?" he asked. Chloe didn't know why the boy liked to call people by their last name he only ever didn't do it with his siblings, the boys, Harry and Hermione. Everyone else was 'Perth', 'Darling', 'Overton', 'Jordan' and 'Johnson'.

"Merry Christmas" she called to him and gently threw him a box before turning to look at Hermione. "Yours is on your bed upstairs," she told the girl before turning to Harry. "Well, guess I'm your Christmas Gryffindor Buddy this year" she joked with the boy who gave her a surprised look.

"You're not going back to your family?" he asked.

"Nope, so you get your present actually on Christmas," Chloe said with a smirk.

"Present?" Harry asked confused.

"What?" Chloe said, smirk still on her face. "You think I'd get everyone a present but you?" she asked the boy, but didn't give him time to respond. "That's only Percy, got all the other Weasley siblings at Hogwarts a present expect the prized head boy," she said mockingly.

"Thought you already gave his" Eve stated causing most to look at her but she just smiled evilly. "The punch in the nose seemed kind compared to what you could have done" Chloe groaned.

"Don't bring that up, Hermione won't let me hear the end of it now" Chloe pretended to whine.

"Actually, I've said my piece on that matter, you won't hear any more from me," Hermione said, closing her book and holding her hand up as if to show 'no trick' in a surrender. Chloe looked shocked at her before turning to the boys.

"Have you checked her temperature recently? Think she might be ill" Chloe asked which caused most around to laugh, including Hermione. Chloe however, didn't smile.

"I was being serious"


End file.
